


I Remember

by OverlyObsessedPanda



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blood, Crying, Deception, F/F, F/M, Lots of Crying, Mild Language, Reader-Insert, Reader-Interactive, Romance, Violence, just blood, more as i go i guess - Freeform, not really - Freeform, reader - Freeform, slight gore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-07-18 18:47:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 84,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7326178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OverlyObsessedPanda/pseuds/OverlyObsessedPanda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things almost seemed normal for the first time since the fall of Overwatch. That is, until memories of a life you left behind begin to haunt you. The people hunting you seem more keen on finding you, while the organization you thought was gone is calling you back. Just wait till you start seeing dead people.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've been meaning to write this for a while but since I've never posted anything on AO3 I'm still trying to figure things out. Please let me know of anything off or tags/warnings missing or anything really in general about the writing.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

_"You know, I heard he's been sneaking around with Hina from Housekeeping."_

_"Hina?! No way! I bet that's why she spends more time 'making his bed'. Hmph. I wish we weren't stuck with Sanitation."_

_You quietly continued to load the washing machine along with two other girls, who decided to spend their time gossiping about what goes on within the estate._

_"Honestly though, if I had the chance to 'make his bed', I would take it in a heartbeat." One girl paused her work to lightly slap the arm of the other before they both let out muffled giggles at their inappropriate comments. You even chewed on your lip lightly to hold back a smile._

_The three of you worked between washing and drying for a while more until the head Housekeeper poked a head through the door._

_"The young masters are arriving soon, come now so I can get you ladies ready to welcome them home. I already finished everyone else so come on, hurry."  The sleeve of her kimono bounced with the wave of her hand, motioning you three to follow._

_The two girls ahead of you complained about wearing something so traditional whilst following. You continued your silence, following closely behind._

_Once the three of you reached the dorms, you made your way to your room to retrieve the necessary items to get ready. Making your way past one of your roommates, you reached within a chest at the foot of your assigned bed and pulled out a freshly washed kimono. You swept a hand over the smooth fabric, taking in the beautiful floral designs. Smiling lightly to yourself, you picked the kimono from the chest along with shoes and other necessary accessories._

_You nodded a quick acknowledgement to your roommate before bringing yourself and the items you carry to the head Housekeepers room._

_"Oh sweetheart, there you are!"  She quickly finished the hair of one of the gossipers before turning to you._

_"Sorry Kyo, I forgot to take everything out this morning." You handed her the kimono before stripping down yourself._ _Once in your undergarments, you turned your back to Kyo so she can slip on the traditional robe._

_After changing and finishing your hair, Kyo led you along with the other two girls to the front courtyard. The other servants and workers had already made their way outside. The men sporting sleek suits while the women elegantly dressed traditionally in kimonos. Although most of the women seem slightly embarrassed for dressing in such a way, you seemed content with the comfortable robe._

_Sticking to Kyo's side, she ordered the people around in preparation for the young masters. Two lines were made leading to the entrance of the castle. Everyone managed to get themselves together perfectly on time when the cars pulled up in front of the castle doors._

_"Shhh! Everyone quiet! Minako! Stop messing around!" Kyo began yelling orders and the people began to quiet down as the middle of the 3 cars parked in front of the castle gates._

_An Omnic security guard walked up to back seat doors and pulled the handle. Despite Kyo's orders to stay bowed and looking down, you dared to tilt your head in the direction of the opening car door. Bringing your eyes to the feet planted on the floor, you followed up as the door opened wider revealing the figure._

_"Holy crap! It's like Hanzo doesn't even try, he's just naturally hot!"  Kyo shushes the girls on the other side of her and you bring your eyes back to the floor, losing interest in the newly arriving Shimada._

_"Welcome home, Hanzo. I hope you had a wonderful trip." Kyo spoke next to you as the elder Shimada made his way within the gates._

_"I did actually. Thank you, Kyo." Hanzo replied with a slight bow of the head in respect of the elderly woman. You kept your head bowed along with the rest of the line of servants. Staring into the floor until a pair of feet blocked your view._

_"(Y/N), you are allowed to look up at me." Hanzo's low voice spoke to you. You brought your head up slowly, still avoiding eye contact._

_"(Y/N)." He repeated sternly. This time you took a moment to look at Kyo, accepting her nod of approval you finally looked up at Hanzo Shimada's face._

_"I heard while my brother and I were gone you took care of Kyo for me, is that true?" You looked back at Kyo one last time as she flashed you a smile._

_"If anything she took care of me, sir." Hanzo took a moment to process your answer before smiling sweetly at you._

_"Thank you, (Y/N)." He grabbed your right hand and fit it tightly between both of his. "My brother and I appreciate it."_

_"Speaking of your brother, where is he?" Kyo politely asked Hanzo._

_"Kyo! I missed you!" A seemingly hyperactive man ran a little too fast towards the elderly woman, until being stopped by Hanzo. Gripping on his collar, Hanzo pulled him back._

_"Are you insane Genji? What if you hurt her! You need to start respecting her and the authority more often." Hanzo scolded his younger brother._

_"I'm sorry Kyo..." Genji, still hanging by his collar like a kitten being held up by its mother, slapped his hands together and bowed his head in a sincere manner._

_"That's alright, dear. Hanzo! let your brother go!" She began swatting the arm that held Genji up. The scene before you caused you to let out a chuckle. Bringing your hand up to cover your mouth, the laugh began to sound more prominent. Genji, no longer struggling on his tippy toes turned to you. Noticing the new found attention on yourself, you immediately silenced your laughter._

_"Is is (Y/N), brother?" Genji motioned to you._

_"Yes she is. You've met her before. In fact, you should have seen her every day for the past 2 years, Genji." Hanzo rolled his eyes as he responded._

_"We have people coming in and out of here all the time! I can't remember everyone's faces or names." He replied with a hint of hurt._

_"Yeah? Well I hear through these walls that you remember Hina's name." Hanzo replied, although without getting a few hits from Kyo and a few giggles from the girls within ear shot._

_Turning to Genji, he just wiggles his eyebrows at his brother and tilts his head to see past his brothers. He shoots a quick wink and upon turning around, you see a very flustered Hina from Housekeeping giggling away the affection._

_"Well? What are we just standing here for! We are back at Shimada Castle! Why don't we celebrate! Everyone's already dressed up!" Genji yelled whilst raising his arms into the air in a dramatic manner. The People began to shuffle around, welcoming the Shimada brothers home._

_"Will you be joining us this afternoon?" Genji suddenly asked you before you can walk back to the dorms with Kyo._

_"I-I'm not sure. I still have work to do, sir." You tried excusing yourself but again, Genji stopped you._

_"Work?! A beautiful girl like you shouldn't have to worry about that! Come on, have some fun!" Genji tried yet again to convince you. Hanzo began to approach to rescue you, but obviously your following response proved you didn't need any._

_"With all due respect, calling me beautiful and batting those pretty eyes of yours won't make me abandon my work for a night of fun. I have responsibilities and a living to make, so please do have fun tonight but let me continue my work without interruption." Hanzo stopped in his tracks while Genji stood staring wide eyed and mouth ajar. Kyo giggled behind you and you took the silence as the end of the conversation, so you turned around and walked with Kyo back to the dorms._

_"Did she just do that?" Hanzo asked as he walked up to his brother, who kept his eyes on your retreating form._

_"She said my eyes are pretty."  He seemed almost star struck, continuing to stare off at the door you used to enter the dorms._

_"Yeah and she also said your charm doesn't work on her. You actually have to try like the rest of society." Hanzo added before making his way back to the crowd._

_"Hmm. You should probably wake up now, huh?" Genji seemed to ask to no one in particular._

_"(Y/N). I said to wake up." He ordered._

_"Wake up."_

"Wake up!" You were repetitively struck with a pillow, you arms raising in startled defense. 

"pfffth! Stop! I'm up!" Swatting away the pillow, you began to pull the hair that made it's way into your mouth from the attack.

"(Y/N), you're alarm's been ringing for a few minutes now. I had to turn to violence to get you up!" Turning your attention to the now deafening buzzing of your alarm, you gave it a good tap to shut it off.

"Sorry, Lena. I was up for almost two days straight, I think my body just needed a little hibernation." You grumbled and rubbed the sleep from your face.

The Brit who beat you awake handed you a warm cup of coffee. Taking the drink eagerly, you finally swung your legs off the edge of the bed. Thinking back to your interrupted dream, your mind wandered. It seems to be that time where your dreams begin to have a common theme.

Before you let your thoughts delve deeper into the void, you let your feet flatten against the cool wooden floors and rose from your bed. Bringing the unfinished cup with you to the kitchen, you grabbed an apple and made your way back to the living room. Or at least it used to be a living room until your partner, Lena Oxton, decided to turn it into what she likes to call the "operation room". 

"Oi, come here a minute, love." Lena called out to you as you walked by. Turning your momentum to face her, you stopped right next to her as she typed away on one of the few laptops you two have set up. "Looks like Talon's planning another hit this time. Back home in England." You leaned forward to get a better look at the screen. Lena typed away quickly leaving little time to keep up with the pages. You watch her go through online forums for Talon sympathizers, Shambali informational websites, and even saw her glide through back doors to different government servers.

" _Your_ home in England." You corrected her as she typed away.

"Oh please, I'm your home so wherever mine is it's yours also." She shot you a quick smirk before turning back to the screen. You just patted her shoulder before taking a seat across the table at another laptop.

"So what's the specs of this op?" You began research of your own, at your own pace, as you asked.

"Sweetheart, there's no need for all that military talk anymore." She shot back not even looking up from her screen.

"Well what else did I train my whole life for if I can't use it?" You turned your head to look past the screen, but she kept her eyes glued to her own. "You never answered my question by the way.

"Well actually I was planning on going in alone, (Y/N)." She paused her typing for a moment give you a quick glance, only to return to the consistent clicking of the keyboard.

"Alone? What do you mean alone?" You stopped altogether and peered over your screen waiting for a response.

"Well you know how the Petras Act prevents us from even congregating together and what not? It's been a few weeks now that we've stayed here and although its lovely, we really do need to get a move on." Lena paused, taking in a quick breath of air before continuing. "I was hoping you'd start looking for us while I was on mission?"

Staring blankly back at her for a few moments too long, you finally replied with an exasperated groan and your head thrown back.

"Fine! I guess. I know that's not the reason you want me to stay but I'll do it." She blew you a kiss and mumbled how great you are before returning to her work, you doing the same.

"What am I gonna do with you, Tracer?" Referring to her call sign startled her slightly and she just let out a giggle.

"Winston used to always say the same thing." The memory of him visibly pained her, but she kept the smile going. "You think we ever gonna get the band back together?"

You took a moment to think about her answer. Not trying to break her heart yet not trying to give her false hope, until you realized your current situation.

"I'm not so sure, Lena. But maybe one day we'll all see each other again. Look at us right now!" Raising your arms motioning to the entire room. "We've been stuck to each other ever since the fall and we've managed to get past the Act, we can definitely find a way to see the family again." You gave her a sincere smile, and she returned it with her own bright one. Tears began to visibly form in her eyes and you just started shaking your head. She always had to be dramatic. 

"You're right, (Y/N). If we can do this then we can see them all again. Thank you!" She got up from her chair, tears streaming down her face, and ran to your seat hugging you.

Laughing, you hold onto her as she clung to you like a koala. You hear her sniffling and simply pat her back. You knew she didn't need any comforting words, so you sat there holding onto the grown woman on your lap.

"Alright now, you have work to do." Giving her a pat to her sides signalling her to start getting up. She complies but not without giving you one last squeeze. 

Once you see her situated at her own laptop, you proceed to do your own work: looking for a new place to hide out. 

 

Furrowing you're brows, you have this feeling in the pit of your stomach that this might be the last time things will be normal for a while. It's almost like a warning; a chill down your spine, the hairs on your arms raising. Like you're body is telling you to get out now before it's too late-

_Blllrrghhhh_

Lena let out a laugh before you start turning red.

"You hungry, love?" You just squint at her before grabbing the unfinished apple, taking a huge bite.

"Don't worry about it." You grumbled between chews.

-Or it could just be you were really  _really_ hungry.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so this chapter I think is a lot longer than the first one since this one kind of went slow in my opinion. It's a lot of the friendship between Tracer and reader but bear with me, the ending of this chapter was worth all of it!
> 
> btw its 6 in the morning right now and i just finished it so please PLEASE let me know of any mistakes because I am sure my sleep deprivation caused my writing to be a mess.
> 
> Please enjoy and leave a comment on what you think!

You sat at one of the laptops rhythmically typing away in your pajamas, searching through different properties in multiple countries. Although cost wasn't a problem, you and Lena tended to stay on the cheaper side; small apartments with little furniture sufficed. This helped with keeping government authorities or other unfriendly entities from tracking you two down.

"What about Italy? We haven't been there in a while." You asked Lena through a coms unit attached to your ear.

" _No way! Last time we were there I wasn't able to stomach the food for three days before you started force feeding me!_ " She yelled back statically.

"You got food poisoning once and refused to eat after that! Come on I got it too and I was perfectly fine to eat afterwards!" You began waving your hands as if she could see you. "You are just being dramatic."

" _Put your hands down and then I'll let you call me dramatic_." Freezing in place, you put your hands back down on the keyboard. 

"They weren't up."

" _Yes they were, the more fired up you get the wider you arms seem to spread_." 

"Shut up they were't that far." You finally gave in. Typing away now searching elsewhere. "What about Austria? We wouldn't have to learn a new language if we move there."

" _I feel like Austria and Germany are too close, don't you think? It's like moving towns not countries_." She insisted. You simply huffed in response. You're current location in Berlin was peaceful enough to make Austria more tempting. 

"Good point. But then again it was the German authorities causing us more problems this time. Talon didn't even bother with us here, I'm sure just moving next door will be fine." You reasoned.

You and Lena talked more about Austria before moving onto more trivial topics. She ended up discussing more about her current mission; the leader of the Shambali, Mondatta, is organizing a speech at King's Row. Her resources led her to believe Talon is planning a hit on the Monk, although there is no detail on when the actual assassination will take place let alone who is conducting it. She decided it best if she simply kept a close eye on him during his stay at King's Row in case anything happens.

" _Oi! I think the speech is starting, security is making their way on stage and the crowd's getting louder. I'll get in touch after, love_." You said your goodbyes and good lucks to each other for the mission and the new home before finally cutting the line and putting the ear piece on the table.

 

* * *

 

It's been a few hours since you're last conversation with Lena and by now you started to get worried. It was already close to 1 a.m. where you were, making it midnight where Lena is. After discovering through the news that Talon successfully assassinated Mondatta, you have been pacing the apartment from anxiety for what felt like forever before you finally sat down on a laptop and did your searches. Checking local King's Row hospital records for unidentified admissions and, even through your discomfort, Jane Does recently recovered. Leaving your ear peace connected to a speaker, you could work without the discomfort of keeping it in your ear.

"Come on, Tracer, you gotta be somewhere." You mumbled to yourself, now checking English authorities to see if they got their hands on her.

_bzzchh_

Looking up, you find yourself staring blankly at the speaker to which relayed the coms unit. Static was pouring out of the speaker, but slowly faded out enough to hear a voice.

" _...(Y/N)? ... there?"_ The British accent almost brought you to tears as you snatched up the ear piece to put it on.

"Oh my God Lena! Where have you been?! It's been three hours since you last made contact!" You questioned with a broken voice.

" _Oh dear, three hours? So it's not all too damaged then huh?"_  She replied, a little too relieved for you. The static now fading to a low hum.

"Damaged? Lena, is your chronal accelerator broken?" Suddenly your chest felt sunken in. Your eyes wide and scattering across the screen which now barely showed her location.

" _Well, it seems to keep me anchored in the present, which is good but when I tried blinking is when I'm assuming I was gone for the three hours."_ She still kept a cheery voice, assuring you she was okay. Yet you still felt the pit on your stomach at the fear she could disappear again for who knows how long; hours, days, months.

"What happened to you there? Every news station is going on about Talon taking out Mondatta." You asked worried for her.

" _She was there, (Y/N)."_ The cheeriness in her voice gone in an instant. You took a deep breath before pinching the bridge of your nose.

"I told you to abort if she was involved." Your voice stern and cold. You knew how Lena felt about her, so your lectures seemed harsher every time. Not like she would listen anytime soon, though. "What did she do to you?"

" _I found her on the rooftops. We fought a little, you know how that goes."_ She now seemed annoyed at herself as she relayed more of the events. "... _and then j_ _ust before she shot, I thought i saw hesitation."_ Her voice now low, you can feel the sadness radiating through the ear piece. " _When I realized it wasn't, I was already too late. I didn't think and just blinked out of reflexes instead of stopping her. I could have stopped her, (Y/N)."_

You felt bad for the girl, someone of her character and morale wouldn't be able to handle what she does and yet she manages it. Now that she believes there was a slip up, she won't ever let that go. It was you're job now to try and loosen that weight over her.

"Lena, I know that  _you_ know there was nothing you could have done. In fact, you did more than should have been possible. You alerted his security to get him out of there, you fought your emotions to get Widowmaker for crying out loud. I'm sure Mondatta would have thanked you for trying so hard to save him, and I'm also sure he would have told you it's all part of the natural order. He's probably experiencing immense 'tranquility' as we speak." Lena managed a chuckle before you heard her sniffle. 

" _You always know what to say, love_." Her broken voice laced with gratitude thanked you.

"Alright you should start heading home. I'm sure Marcus is willing to help you out again and take you back. I'll send him a message letting him know of the situation, just get to the rendezvous I sent to you and I'll take care of the rest." You typed away at your laptop sending the coordinates to her own device before messaging an old slipstream colleague of hers, who happened to help you two with most of your overseas transport.

" _Don''t wait up for me, darling."_ She joked trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm not planning on it. Message me when you land in Berlin and I'll come pick you up, hopefully we can fix that chronal accelerator of yours." You promised her before saying your goodbyes.

You took out the ear piece out and set it on the table before rising from your seat. Giving your arms a good stretch in the air to pop the kinks in your back caused a sigh of relief to escape your lips. You walked into the kitchen after relaxing a few more muscles, only to realize the lack of groceries within the fridge and pantry.

"Seriously? Does Lena think we can survive off of poptarts and energy drinks." You mumbled to yourself once investigating the cupboards above the counter tops.

Taking one of the poptarts you quickly unraveled the wrapping, not bothering to heat it up. You took a seat on the couch adjacent to the window and settled with watching what ever day time program was rerunning this late at night.

Slowly, you're eyes began to drift. Your ears blocking out the noise of the T.V. and your body going limp, poptart and all. No longer fighting back the sleep, you let it consume you in one big push.

_You see yourself in front of a bathroom mirror, back to your 20 year old self again._

knock knock

_"J-Just a minute."  You quickly gather your toothbrush and other toiletries before shutting off the faucet._

_You made your way out the door and mumbled an apology to one of your roommates who waited patiently for you to finish. You heard her close the door behind you once you made your leave. Taking a seat at the edge of your bed, you set your items inside inside a clear bag on your nightstand._

_"Hey (Y/N), I was wondering if you could cover for me this morning? I know it's your day off but it'll only be an hour. I have to get a present for my nephew's birthday that's coming up." Another one of your roommates, Narumi, politely asked you in a pleading manner._

_"Yeah, sure. Housekeeping is just collecting laundry today right?" You asked since she works in housekeeping while you were stuck in sanitation; laundry, cleaning restrooms and hallways, and even the occasional aftermath of parties and get togethers was your job._

_"Mhmm and also if the beds aren't made and stuff. You don't have to actually clean up in the room until the afternoon but I'll be back by then so don't worry." She assured you before giving you a quick hug. "_ _Thank you for this! I owe you one!" The hug was awkward since you didn't know her that well, but she didn't seem to notice._

_"Don't worry about it." You gave her a quick curl of your lips before she made her way out of the fairly large room that was shared between four girls, including yourself._

_Putting on your uniform, which was a simple black polo shirt and unflattering brown khakis, you decided to get started with the day. Other girls in housekeeping were kind enough to help you with what exactly you had to do. They told you which rooms were still in need of collecting the laundry and how to make the beds up to Shimada standards._  

_"Alright, this should be the last one." You mumbled to yourself before gently knocking on the door. Not hearing a response right away, you took it as invitation enough to let yourself in._

_Quickly turning on the lights, you were met with a sight you'd never seen within the castle._

_Clothes riddled the floor, along with wrappers from different fast food places or household snacks. The comforter was struggling to hang onto the bed with only one corner remaining on top. Whatever was left of the blanket on the floor was stained with multiple colors and shades that you didn't want to know where they came from. Taking more steps inside the room, a stench hit you like a brick wall. Scrunching your nose and covering your face, you find the source to be what seemed like a half eaten, days old tuna salad hidden partially under a pile of papers on the desk._

_"Holy crap, how can anyone live in here?" You struggle to ask yourself, the stench still unbearable._

_Going back into the hallway for a fresh breath of air and a plastic bag from your laundry cart, you made your way back inside running straight for the tuna salad._

_"Oh my God out of everything I've been through, this is how I die." You almost struggled to whisper. Throwing the salad, bowl and all, away in the bag and wrapping it as tight as you can. You ran back outside to grab another bag to contain the evil stench. Once disposing of the bag, you grabbed an air freshener and sprayed to your hearts content within the room. Taking in a deep breath confidently, you began to cough from the amount of freshener droplets still lingering._

_"Ugh! Still better than that monstrous food's smell..." You commented once you could get a breath in._

_Being able to breathe easy now, you began gathering all the food wrappers into another plastic bag for disposal. Clearing away the trash enabled you to actually start doing what you were supposed to, which was collect the laundry. Seeing that the hamper was the entirety of the rooms floor, you began picking up what was littered. Seriously, how can anyone live like this? Did the housekeepers completely forget this room?_

_Also making sure to grab the comforter from the bed, you already began to see an immense improvement to the room. Leaving the rest of the tidying up to the afternoon cleaning, you began to pick up the last few items from the floor before you left._

_Until the room's door decided to close itself._

_Startled, you shot up from your bent over position and turned around. Meeting a familiar pair of dark eyes, you let out a breath, whether from nervousness or relief, you would never know._

_"No please, continue what you were doing." The suave voice was paired with an equally irritating smirk._

_"Actually, I was just finishing, sir." Your attempt to move past him and to the door was halted by him simply moving his much larger frame in front of you._

_"Call me Genji, (Y/N). I don't like all those formalities." Genji kept his eyes on you, examining each twitch and quirk._

_"May I please leave the room, Genji." Although he was technically your boss, you still didn't hide your stern tone._

_"You know, the staff knows they aren't allowed in here, yet you seem to miss the memo." Thinking back to what the other girls told you, they did mention a room only Hina was allowed in. However the business of the morning and fatigue you felt from working on your day off must have caused you to slip that warning from your mind. At least, that was the story you were going to go with._

_"I'm sorry sir, I must have-"_

_"Genji." He corrected._

_"Y-Yes, Genji. I didn't realize-"_

_"You know it actually smells good in here now" He interrupted once again, which left you dumbfounded. For the first time since he arrived in his room, he took his eyes off you too look around. "Hina was supposed to be cleaning in here but ya know how it goes, distractions and what not." He started walking around the room inspecting, shooting you a wink._

_"Umm, yeah. Distractions." Still amazed at how quickly his attention turned, you decided to take this opportunity to make your leave. "Housekeeping was supposed to come by this afternoon to finish cleaning but I guess Hina is going to take of that for you." You reached the door handle before he spoke out again._

_"Why don't you do it instead?" He asked staring at his much more organized desk, clean and salad-less._

_"Excuse me?" You turned back once more, he paused his inspections to look up at you._

_"You come by and clean instead. I only had Hina come by for the fun but the mess was starting to outweigh the benefits." He gave you another one of his signature smirks. You quickly caught his implications and turned back to the door._

_"I'm not that type of girl, Genji. I'm not going to take sex as payment for my services. Although I am flattered, I won't be taking any kind of offer like that." You grabbed the handle and pulled. But interruptions seem to be his specialty, since Genji once again stopped you from leaving by shutting the door closed._

_"Then how about I move you from being a janitor to just a maid?" He offered._

_"I'm not a janitor." You replied offended._

_"You kind of are, sweetheart. You clean our bathrooms and scrub our floors. The maids here only have to worry about cleaning whatever messes are in the rooms. I'd take that offer if I were you." You looked up at him with furrowed brows. He did have a point, despite your reluctance to admit it. The offer was tempting, no more cleaning dirty tiles and worrying about what exactly you are washing in the laundry._

_"If you move me to housekeeping, will you not try and pull any of that flirting crap with me?" You asked cautiously._

_"How about you take the offer before I change my mind, darling." He replied impatiently. Giving him one last squint, you finally nodded in approval._

_"Fine, I'll take it. But if I start feeling uncomfortable I'm going straight to Kyo and getting moved back." This time he gave you a full smile that stretched his cheeks. His dimples even showed ever so slightly._

_"Deal, but don't worry I'll figure out a way to win you over." He promised, opening the door for you._

_Looking back, you gave him one last glance before finally grabbing your things and heading back to the laundry room._

_"Oh wait! (Y/N)!" You turned around halfway down the hall._

_"I almost forgot, your phone's been ringing." Genji suddenly told you with no context._

_"What?" You asked. Eventually the halls begin to fill with the familiar ring tone sounding deafening to you, but not affecting Genji in any way._

 

_"Yeah, you should probably wake up and answer that."_

 

Shooting up from the couch, you quickly ran to the living room to grab your phone. Ignoring the stars you saw from getting up too quickly.

"Hello?" You asked groggily.

" _(Y/N)! Finally you pick up, did you really fall asleep?! I was just kidding when I said to 'not wait up'!_ " Lena's familiar British accent spoke through the speaker.

"It was just a power nap, you in Berlin right now?" You rubbed your eyes and headed for your room.

" _Yes, love. I've been here for 20 minutes waiting for you to answer. I tried the coms first but I assumed you didn't have that on so I called your cell, obviously that wasn't working until now either_." You removed your phone to quickly check the time and cursed silently to yourself. It was 3:34 a.m., which meant you were  _really_ late. 

"I'll come get you right now. Let me just get some pants and a jacket." You replied juggling the phone between your shoulder and cheek to get your pants on.

" _That's real lady-like of you, ain't it."_ Replied with a snap.

"Do you want that ride or not?" You remarked.

" _Just come get me! I'm cold and tired. And I have to pee."_ She whined.

"Yeah? Who's the lady now." You chuckled. "I'll call you when I get there."

After saying your goodbyes, you hung up and made it out the door straight to the garage.

 

* * *

 

 

You and Lena made it home without a problem and you decided to get the chronal accelerator fixed the same night in case of any problems that might ensue.

"Hold still or I will sedate you, Tracer." You threatened the twitching girl.

"I'm uncomfortable! This couch feels like it was rocks in it." She wiggled more to prove her point which prompted you to hold her shoulders down.

"That's what happens when you rent sleezy apartments already furnished, be lucky the mattresses didn't have bed bugs." You managed to hold her down long enough to get at a component you were struggling with.

Both of you sat in silence as you worked on the accelerator. The silence was neither unwanted nor peaceful, which was probably why Lena began to feel curious as you worked.

"Do you miss Overwatch?" Lena asked staring into the ceiling.

"Mmm. I miss the people. My job at Overwatch wasn't exactly to die for." You replied without much thought.

"Oh that's right you worked under Reyes in Blackwatch..." She seemed to trail off at the name, notorious within the organization as the true reason for the fall.

"Yeah, it wasn't too bad in the beginning. The missions were usually long though so I didn't have time to hang out with the rest of the organization. Really it was just you and Winston who I talked to outside Blackwatch." You began to reminisce, Reyes was strict with who you spent your time with. Tracer and Winston were the exceptions since Winston worked on your gear while Tracer piloted you to wherever if one of Blackwatche's members couldn't take you. The little manpower within your group caused everyone to be constantly busy, so Lena ended up being your ride most of the time. Those long trips are what cultivated your friendship. Also there were times where you spent time with a few other members, on very rare occasions. You could count on your hand how many times you met up with other members, but each one was a memory filled with laughter and joy.

"You did a lot of undercover stuff right? How was that like?" She asked curiously.

"It usually depended on what I did. Being inside gangs and mafia's were probably the toughest. One slip up and I could have lost my life." Again you replied with little thought. "Although there was one time where I took on a cover of being this intern for a news station since they were being bought out and stuff by some rich old guys." You waved away the last bit of detail before returning to work. "Turns out the part of them being bought out wasn't the crazy part, but by  _who._ "

"Who was it?!" Lena asked intrigued.

"The senators who sold out Overwatch in order to get the Petras Act signed in." You said pausing your work.

"Seriously?!" She said rising ever so slightly in her seat, to which you pushed her back down gently.

"Yeah! And just when we were going to expose them for defamation and fraud, the Swiss base blew up..." Your excitement died down. Your recollection caused the guilt to come back with you. You blamed yourself for months afterwards for the fall. If you had exposed the senators sooner, the public might have changed their mind about Overwatch and possibly could have relieved the stress within the organization that caused the conflict between Morrison and Reyes.

"Oh... I'm sorry I didn't mean for you to talk about that, I can change the subject-"

"No no, it's okay. I gotta face these things eventually." You assured her. "You can keep going if you want, I don't mind." You smiled at her, causing her to give you an equally warming smile.

"Well, what was your longest time undercover?" She asked cautiously.

After a good thought of how much time that mission was, you gave her an answer.

"About two years, I think. It was my first undercover mission actually." You gave her another smile, to hide the pain of the memories from that mission.

"Really? What was your cover?" Lena quirked a brow.

 

"I was a maid for the Shimada clan in Japan, my mission was to bring down their criminal empire."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> laaaawwwwwd what do you guys think because I've been planning this for weeks now and actually putting it down in words might not come out right. Is this a good idea? let me know if you think this twist was the right way to go.
> 
> Also I hope the speech doesn't sound weird since I cant write out accents? I'm gonna try and use the different terms of course but when you see tracer talking you are probably gonna have to imagine her accent since I wont really have any indication. And even though Genji doesn't seem to be the type to use those nicknames in english (even as a playboy) I assume he used them in Japanese? Especially since all the dream dialogue from when reader was working in the castle is in Japanese.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed and don't forget to leave a comment!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is much shorter because I kinda had one big event in it, I thought about continuing the ending as another event within the chapter but that probably would have been way too rushed and sloppy. Also this chapter came a little later than the last so I wanted to get this out there! 
> 
> its 8:45am and I haven't slept in like 2 days so there is most definitely mistakes, please do let me know of even just grammar mistakes in the comments. I most likely won't fix it unless someone else catches it.
> 
> Well enough rambling, I hope you enjoy!

It's been several days now since the assassination on Mondatta. Lena has been slowly accepting the loss as you spend your nights sharing a blanket on the couch talking your feelings off to each other. The improvised therapy has proved beneficial for both of you.

This morning was much like the rest; you got up way after Lena who left a coffee out for you. She sat in her "operations room" working on a cup of tea and the keyboard.

"Lena, have you been packing?" You asked her as you made your way around the table to her side.

"Uhh... Oh look here! Potential new missions! Keep us busy for a while shouldn't it?" Lena pulled up another forum detailing their next targets.

"I saw you watching cat videos again, don't think you can fool me." You called her out and she gave you a nervous smile.

After a few moments of watching her work, you decided to make your way into the kitchen.

Although upon opening the fridge, you realized your mistake in thinking it would hold any options.

"Lena!" You pushed aside the different flavored energy drinks in hopes of anything hidden. "I told you to go to the store days ago, there's nothing in here!" 

"We've got poptarts, eat one of those." She replied with little effort. 

"Our hearts are gonna give out before we retire." You closed the fridge and dragged yourself back to your room.

"With our line of work, love, it's inevitable." You let air out your nose, the joke not quite prompting a laughter since the chances of either of you losing your lives to your jobs are a lot more than just certain. Although both of you are very aware of the dangers, it might even make you two better at what you do. Simply being aware of your own mortality prompts a more dire need of perfection during your missions.

You grabbed a pair of pants from the floor of your room, sticking your legs in one at a time. Digging through one of the filled suitcases, you managed to pull out a jacket.

"I'm gonna head out and grab something from the burger place you like, you better be all packed by the time I'm back. We gotta leave tonight." Tying your shoelaces, you looked up to see Lena give you an appreciative nod. "You got half an hour, Tracer!"

"Yeah, Yeah! Thanks, Love!" She blew you a kiss before you opened the door. After locking the door you slipped on the jacket, the cool air brushing past you.

 

* * *

 

You walked down the busy streets, tightly packed buildings lined the sidewalks. You were already on your way back to the house holding tightly to the warm bag and cool cup holder. The sodas in one hand swished with each step while the bag filled with burgers and fries swayed in the other. The cold air bit at your cheeks prompting chills every once in a while.

"I should have brought a thicker jacket.." You whispered to yourself, continuing down your path.

The path you took seems to carry less people, which was more pleasant to you. 

You began to slow down your walk, taking in the scenery. Although it was filled with old buildings, they seemed to hold a sense of personality the almost robotic counterparts of other cities like Numbani lacked. Even now, companies like Vishkar are turning towns into a pristine, soulless metropolis. Aesthetically speaking, these cities were beautiful. But they simply lacked the personality of buildings built from hand and worn down by life. It was a shame thinking that one day these streets you walk through might end up torn down for something so manufactured.

As you continued your walk, you made it to an alleyway that cut through straight to your home. You had already taken the same path on your way to.

Entering the alley, your feet crunched old newspapers and other trash people had tossed in here. The dark path was narrow and dirty, causing you to hold the bag closer to avoid it touching the walls.

Hitting the halfway mark, you slowed down. Chills began to run down your spine, and not the type of chills that came with the cold.

Coming to a complete stop, you closed your eyes for a moment. You focused your hearing to every gust of wind, rattle, or scurry of the animals you had startled.

You opened your eyes once more after failing to hear what caused that uneasy feeling in your stomach. Taking a quick look of your surroundings, you deemed the unsettling feeling to be of no threat and returned to the same pace as when you entered.

Man, did you need to brush up on your skills.

Before you could make much progress, an arm had reached around your head to cover your mouth before using their other hand to pull you back.

You threw the sodas over your shoulder in hopes of hitting the perpetrator in the face. 

Hearing the splash on the ground and not behind you, you took it upon yourself to try to retaliate more physically.

Sinking your teeth into the hand on your mouth before giving a good elbow to their shouting face gave you enough time to push the figure off your back. You grabbed them by the remaining arm and twisted against the joint, forcing them to turn around and hit the wall.

You held their arm against their back and pushed their face into the wall.

"Argh! (Y/N)! It's me- Agh!" You hesitated, taking a moment to focus on who exactly you were holding against the wall. The lack of light in the alleyway proved it more difficult to distinguish any prominent features.

But once you realized, it hit you harder than the wall against the man in front of you.

"Hanzo? Is that really you?" You loosened your grip against him, allowing him to peel off the wall and face you. His accent obvious yet not distracting. It seems strange to hear him speak English with you.

"It's good to finally see you, (Y/N). Even if it does hurt a little bit." He brought a sleeveless arm up to massage the opposite shoulder. You were able to faintly see the intricate designs that fit perfectly against his muscular arm. A dragon seemed to be the main feature as it encircled his arm down to his wrist. Hanzo watched as you stared in awe, taking in the almost timeless expression you held.

"I had it done soon afterwards, it seemed fitting at the time." Hanzo answered, you know what he was referencing and was thankful he didn't say it by name. He seemed to already know the questions rushing through your mind which led him to answer before you could ask. You took a moment to look up at his face, his eyes meeting yours.

"It's been so long, I thought I was never seeing you again." Your voice was low, eyes began to water. He simply curled the ends of his lips ever so slightly, it was almost unnoticeable in the darkness.

"I'm sorry I never came back to you, I couldn't bring myself to do so." He broke eye contact, finding the floor more interesting. You brought a hand up to his cheek, lifting his head to look back at you.

"You don't need to apologize, I understand why you left." Tears began to break away. One by one, they trailed down your cheeks. Hanzo reached a hand up over your own.

"I didn't leave for the reasons you think. You had nothing to do with it. I had to face my own demons, find my own place in the world." He slowly brought the other arm around you. He seemed hesitant, like he was asking for permission to embrace you.

"I was s-so alone, Hanzo. I kept waiting for you-for him! But neither of you came for me." You began to choke into sobs. Hanzo held you close and stroked your hair, shushing you as you cried into his shoulder.

"I know, I'm so  _so_ sorry (Y/N). I made him a promise to protect you and I couldn't even do that for him." His own voice began to break as he tried to soothe you.

You continued your sobs as he held you. The memories from 10 years ago were flooding in. You spent so much time pushing it back, that the forcefulness of remembering was almost painful. 

"I miss him so much, I've always missed him. Just when I would think I've forgotten him, when the dreams would stop. My mind would remind me in excruciating detail that I don't deserve to forget. For everything that I've done to you both, the deceit and lies, I don't deserve peace." Hanzo brought his hands up to your cheeks and pulled you away momentarily to make eye contact. He even slouched slightly lower so you can be level with each other.

"What you did was open our eyes, if it weren't for you we would be doing the same evil doings our father raised us to do. You saved us, (Y/N)." He tried to comfort you, but with the wrong choice of words.

"I didn't save anyone!" You swiped his hands away and took a step back. "I killed Genji! Your brother! The love of my life and I got him killed! If I was never sent to your family he would still be alive and you both would be brothers under the same roof, you would be happy together! You wouldn't be roaming the earth searching for something that isn't there!" You stopped yourself, Hanzo's face contorted slightly to something of hurt. You realized what you had said to him, yet stood by it. "I destroyed  _everything_ for you. Yet you still stand here and comfort me." Your voice went back down to a low mumble. Hanzo cautiously took a step forward, you simply turned your head away but stood your ground.

Gently, he brought a hand back up to your face. He brushed away the stray hairs that lost their place during your outburst. You squeezed your eyes shut, tears forced their way out.

"Did you bring down my blade on him that day?" Hanzo suddenly asked. You opened your eyes, bringing them up to his. "Did you give me the order to end his life? Did you whisper to my elders that they needed to kill one of their own to bring order within the clan?" It was Hanzo's turn to let the tears escape. You let out a quiet whimper of pity when he finished asking you. "You didn't kill him, (Y/N). They did. It took me so many years before I finally realized that. I blamed myself just as much as you did."

You pulled him close to you, wrapping your arms around his shoulders and letting him bring his face down to your shoulder. His height left him mostly nuzzling the side of your face, if anything.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." You kept repeating over and over again. Hanzo seemed to hold you tighter as the both of you cried into each other.

Once the both of you calmed yourselves, he gently took himself off of you and faced you.

"You gave us an opportunity to be free. Genji took it knowing the consequences. I wasn't as brave." He eyed the floor again, this time you gave him a moment to compose himself. "But now because of you, the clan lost what it needed most- a successor."

Now he managed to give you a warmhearted smile, which you returned silently.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Both of your sobs has ended at this point. You quietly watched each other peacefully, taking in the aged features. You noticed his eyes had harsher lines around them. He let his beard grow out which nicely shaped his jaw. His hair at the roots were already graying, no longer sported a low ponytail but instead brought it up high with a lock of hair sticking out. He also has very noticeably bulked up from when you last saw him. Maybe he's aware of his current form, which would explain the exposure of his shirt.

Surely he was examining you just as precisely, noticing your hair was cut into a more mature style. The years showed on your face, but not at all in a negative way. Each line and mark simply added more to your natural beauty. At only 30 years old, he seemed to find you much more admiring than during the supposed prime of your life at 20 years old. Your eyes, however, stayed the exact same. They were the features that seemed to attract the most attention. The hues gave off a certain type of comfort and softness that he thought he would get lost in if he stared to long. He can see exactly what his brother fell in love with all those years ago still today as he gazes into them. 

"You should have came sooner, Hanzo. We could have avoided a lot of pain if we went through this years ago." He snapped out of his gaze once you addressed him. 

"I believe it wouldn't have had the same effect if we met years ago." He concluded, to which you agreed.

Suddenly, your eyes went wide with realization. Hanzo seemed to have caught on to your worry, but didn't know exactly what caused you to be startled.

"Dammit!" You checked your watch, it has been an hour since you left the house. You were still another 15 minutes away from your home, which made you very  _very_ late yet again.

"Is everything alright?" Hanzo picked up the bow off the ground, which you hadn't noticed before.

"I was supposed to be home 15 minutes ago, my partner is going to be worried sick." You looked at the ground where the spilled drinks and dirty food bag laid. Cursing lightly to yourself you began thinking of any food places from here to your home.

"Partner? I thought your organization fell years ago?" Hanzo followed you out of the alleyway to the other side. He kept up your speedy pace with ease.

"It did, a few years after I came back from Hanamura, I befriended another agent and we took care of each other as much as the organization would allow. So of course during the fall, we turned to each other and have been running for the past 5 years together." You spot a pizza parlor around the corner and decide to get today's meal from there. "I know it's terrible of me to cut this short, but I really have to get going." You apologized to Hanzo, who simply waved it off.

"I understand you have duties to tend to. Please forgive my intrusion, (Y/N)." He bowed his head to you, which caught the attention of anybody passing by. Not to mention the large bow and more traditionally Japanese clothing.

"Don't you dare apologize after what you did for me. In fact, thank you so much for visiting." You gave him a warm smile once he lifted his head. Although you were slightly embarrassed by the eyes stuck to the both of you, you didn't mind in that moment. Hanzo once again came to your rescue, and you were grateful. "Okay I really have to get going, obviously you have no trouble tracking me down so I won't bother wasting time by giving you my number." You were already reaching in for a goodbye hug when you finished the sentence. He squeezed you one more time and let out a light chuckle.

"You didn't make it easy for me." 

"It wasn't supposed to be." 

 

* * *

 

 

"Lena! I'm so sorry I'm late! I got held up and ended up having to get something else for us to eat!" You called as you struggled with the pizza. You used your bottom to close the door and made your way to to the living room.

"Lena?" The quietness of the house left an unsettling feeling in your gut.

"(Y/N)." You peeked around one of the monitors and met the cheek burning smile of Tracer. 

You placed the pizza down on the table and she twisted the monitor towards you.

Dots with names and icons sprinkled a world map, some names you have met before while another select few you only knew by reputation. Across the top in bold letters, you could read a single word;  **RECALL**. Before you could reach the Eastern side of the map, she turned the screen back to her.

 

"You were right, we getting the band back together."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now when I had Hanzo describing you I tried not to make it as if hes in love with her too, I just wanted it to be more of a appreciative thing as a friend. Like yall know what I'm talking about, calling your friends hella cute and stuff. So I kind of did that with him but on a much more serious and mature level. 
> 
> I will most likely not make Hanzo have feelings for reader in that way, I want them to have a relationship that is more based on friendship or even as family than anything romantic.
> 
> buuuutttt if yall wanna see it or maybe in future chapters I can make it turn that way?  
> idk Ill leave that up to you but for now from what I see in my writing what reader and hanzo have are purely platonic
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! Please comment any mistakes, critiques, ideas, or simply just what you think about the chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize ahead of time because this chapter is more of a filler if anything. It does have a lot of back story though. I'm kind of just trying to set up for the next few chapters so I don't want them rushed.
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading! Don't forget to leave a comment for any mistakes ive made, if you've liked it, or even ideas!

Lena, to say the least, was ecstatic.

You watched her blink from room to room, packing the suitcase you had instructed earlier. You, however, sat on the couch watching her work with a smile. With you already finishing your luggage hours ago for the move, there was nothing for you to do other than enjoy her excitement. She took the time in between blinks to ramble on about who she was excited to see or how happy she is to see the family reuniting.

"I already called Winston-"  _Blink_ "-He arranged for all of us to stay in Gibraltar where he's been staying." She blinked away before you could respond, coming back with more pants from her closet.

"Gibraltar? Winston's been hold up there this whole time? I thought his Spanish was terrible." Lena paused her consistent blinking to let out a chuckle. 

"Oh dear, it is. One time he went asking one of those local market vendors for a churro, but once he finished the question the geezer went mental!" Your eyes went wide, but so did your smile. Spanish being your second language, you can already assume what Winston had asked. Lena continued her story on the brink of tears, "Apparently, he had asked if he could have a  _diarrhea!_ " She burst into tears, laughing dramatically. You soon joined her mirth with your own giggles. Lena dropped to her knees, grasping at her stomach and struggling to breathe. You ended up finding her reaction more entertaining than her story, her petite frame releasing a roar of laughter not even Winston could compete with.

"Why didn't you ask instead! Poor Winston, probably has nightmares from the embarrassment." You had asked Lena as her outburst settled back down to giggles. She rolled onto her back and gave you another one of her cheeky smiles.

"I told him 'What better way to learn Spanish than by practicing it?' He never spoke Spanish outside the base ever again!" She gave into another wheezing fit at the memory. You decided to help Lena out with her packing while she exhausted herself of laughter.

You made your way to her room, you look around to see she already has a good majority packed. It shouldn't have been too difficult, the both of you try and keep your possessions to a minimum because of the constant moving. Her closet though seems to be the last bit of work. You grabbed the hangers which delicately held her shirts and shrugged them over a shoulder. The action seemed to prompt a carelessly folded picture to fall out of one of the pockets. You thought all of her pictures were taped against the walls, she must have forgotten this one during a previous move.

You reached down with careful fingers and picked up the image. You situated the clothes on your shoulder so you can open the image with both hands.

The picture was wrinkled, torn at the edges. The length didn't help with fitting in whatever pocket Lena had chosen for it. The color faded and blurred, but you could still discern the figures within.

Reyes and Morrison were the easiest to recognize on the far left. Lena and Winston adorned the middle with the former caught in the air and the latter holding a diploma or something of the likes. It would make the most sense because of the congratulations banner decorating the background. You had met Reinhardt a few times before, his large frame seems to be just as intimidating even next to Winston. You had seen pictures of Dr. Ziegler adorning the walls of the medical wings on your base and knew of her reputation in nanobiology. Torbjörn was a recognizable face, you helped him with maintenance of different weaponry or armor from the Blackwatch division, whatever you couldn't fix went to his workshop.

McCree, though, was another story.

His image brought a smile to your lips. Jesse was there for you from the start, probably the reason you are where you are now. Where your young memory failed you, he would fill in how exactly the you ended up in the infamous Deadlock gang.

When he was 14, already affiliated within the group, him and the leaders of the gang had found you within the streets of Santa Fe. Only being presumably 7 years old and hungry, Jesse offered to feed you for the night. He managed to sneak you onto their temporary camp grounds and hide you in his tent while he retrieved that night's dinner. Although before he can make it back, you sneaked back out and found the leaders tent. The booming music and cheering tempted your curiosity, and knowing no restraint at that age, you decided there was no harm in checking it out. 

Jesse ended up walking in on you disarming and taking down one of the more scrawny members by the entrance in one swift movement. 

Eyes wide and panicked, the silence in the tent sounded like a death sentence to him. However before Jesse could stutter out an explanation, the crowd burst into more cheers. They surrounded you with praise and gave your frail back a good clap. Turns out despite your petite frame, you had been on the streets long enough to learn how to defend yourself. The small boy you had dropped was proof enough that you knew how to fight. Once you had told the much larger members that you had came for food, they immediately presented you with whatever cuisine they had at their disposal. You ate with Jesse at your side, he made sure to keep a close eye on you. The other members praised him just as equally for finding you and bringing you to them. They decided to give you the option of staying with the Deadlock gang and work for them. You would be fed and housed, in return you would do whatever work they would put you to. 

Again, being presumably 7 and hungry, you took the offer with a stuffed mouth.

At first Jesse was unsure of the decision of his leaders. You were just a child, you couldn't even tell them your age let alone where you came from. All they knew is you had potential to be of use within the gang; your inexplicable yet somewhat primal fighting abilities showed them you could be so much more with the right training. Even later on they had found out your fluency in Spanish. Although is wasn't an unheard of feat mainly because New Mexico bordered the country it was named after, it still showed how talented you were. Just exactly where did you come from? Were you even from the United States? Jesse seemed to ask himself that for quite some time after you joined.

So from then on, Jesse stood by your side. He helped you through all the training, moving around, and even missions when you were old enough to participate. He became the older brother you didn't think you could ever have. Wherever he went, so would you.

Which is why when Gabriel Reyes busted the Deadlock gang, Jesse bargained to take you with him to Overwatch. Even at the mercy of the law, facing the chance of his life rotting away in a cell, he still wouldn't take the opportunity of a second chance without you.

By Reyes' good graces and the pulling of quite a few strings, the both of you were the new members of Overwatch. Specifically, Blackwatch was the division that took you two in.

The memory quickly faded once you realized what you were doing. You held onto the picture in your hands, giving Jesse McCree one last look before eyeing the two members at his side. A woman dressed in the familiar black and blue color scheme held onto a sniper as she saluted the camera. You have never met her before, it wasn't surprising to you. You never met a majority of the members of the Overwatch team.

Finishing your inspection of the woman, your eyes turned to the figure on the other side of Jesse.

You couldn't tell if the man was an omnic or simply his armor. He wore clothes over what you assumed were the metal plates. Contrasting the orange, a bright strip of green was angled across his helm. Would that even be the right word? If it was a helmet the visor would make sense. Yet, you never knew any omnic models to display that type of optic sensors. Reinhardt wasn't wearing his famous crusader armor in the picture, why would he?

"Hey, Lena?" You called to the girl still laying in the living room.

Within seconds she poked her head through the door. You took a moment to lift your head, along with the picture.

"Who's this in the picture? The one by McCree." You asked without any other indication.

"Oh Ana! That sweetheart, she took care of the lot of us. She was an excellent sniper, spent most of her missions staring through a scope." She walked up to you and with haste grabbed the picture from your hand. A little too quickly for comfort.

"Actually I meant the other one-" Before you could finish your question, a knock on the door stopped the both of you in your tracks.

"Tracer! (L/N)! Come on, open up!" Marcus's voice was accompanied by insistent knocking showing no sign of stopping.

"Yeah, yeah! I'll open when you quit the knocking!" Lena blinked back out just as quickly as she came in. Leaving an unsettling feeling within your chest. The unknown member within the picture was left to your thoughts. If he is still one of the few former Overwatch members to be alive, he could be at Gibraltar to answer the Overwatch recall.

When you finally gained the strength to move your legs, you walked out to greet Marcus and finish packing the last of Lena's clothes that hung over your shoulder.

"You alright there, (Y/N)?" Marcus called your attention by your first name, he tended to save it for more serious moments. The question caught you off guard, you were drowned in the image of the mysterious figure. More so because of Lena's reaction to it. She almost seemed nervous from explaining Ana to you. Snatching the image from your hands didn't go as unnoticed as Lena had hoped either.

"Huh? Yeah, no I'm fine." You assured him. Even giving him a quick smile as you zipped up the luggage. He furrowed his brows, his dark skin crinkled with concern. He can see right through your facade. You knew it, and he knew you knew it.

"Alright. You'd let us know though, right?" Although you were grateful for him not pressuring the subject, he still managed to shoot you another question to make you hold up your charade. This time Lena payed more attention to your reaction. Both of them examined you carefully as you nodded. Giving another signature smile, practiced and perfected.

"Come on Marcus, are you gonna stare at me all day or help us with these suitcases?" You teased him, trying to distract from the subject. He gave you a smirk before picking up the suitcase in your hands with ease.

"Please, when there's something to stare at go ahead and give me a call." He shot back, you let out a chuckle and let him carry the luggage out the door. You felt bad for not answering, but you didn't want to lie to him a second time.

"You sure you alright, love?" Lena pushed one last time once Marcus was out the door. You simply lifted a case and gave her the handle before answering.

"Don't worry about me, Trace." She smiled at the nickname and began to wheel away the second case.

"Oh I don't want to take your job of worrying, you do that enough for me." You let out a snort with her reply. The both of you stood outside the door as you turned the lock to the apartment. Not even bothering to take the key to the landlord for fear of being bombarded with questions of your sudden departure, you decided to leave the key within the lock. Although irresponsible, there was nothing left to steal within the home. And with the landlord living a few doors down, they were bound to see the key within the day.

"Hey (Y/N)?" Lena suddenly called you as you walked towards the car.

"Yeah?"

"We gonna stick together no matter what, right?" The question caught you off guard. Your step almost faltered in reaction.

"Of course, we've seen so much at this point I don't think anything could separate us." You assured her. Yet she still held a certain expression you've only seen with her a few times before: guilt.

"You pinky promise?" She held up a small finger in your direction. The small girl left her with frail hands that you could only describe as adorable. However, despite the cute request, her features held a seriousness that caused you to hold back your comments.

You gave her a quick curl of your lips before bringing up your own pinky. They wrapped together tightly, sealing your contract. She looked at your entwined fingers with reassurance. The weight that seemed to hang on her shoulders remained, however. She knew at the end of everything, you would never forgive her. Yet she felt the gesture would help her sleep at night.

 

"But if I catch you stealing my cookies again I'll break that pinky." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so with Ana being announced and the speculated age of McCree being 17 at the time of him already being in overwatch, I already kind of had the age set up within the story. So the age at which he joined isnt correct in this story. As of this fic, McCree would have been 24 when he joined overwatch, but that information is incorrect. So I apologize if that frustrates anyone! For this fic I'm going to continue with that time line so do keep in mind if things are off within the story that most likely is the reason why.  
> Also I kept the readers true origin hella vague because I know not everyone can speak spanish or even is from the united states, so the second language was purely situational because of where they were found (right next to mexico). I also tried to set it up earlier that the reader knows multiple languages because of all the moving? is that too unrealistic? Im just trying to keep it really vague so more people can feel at ease with reading this fic.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! leave a comment of what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eeeppp!! So this is a long one, i think even longer than chapter 2 which was huuge. So this is kind of like part one of what i got planned. I should probably name this chapter 5.5 but at the same time what I got planned could go by itself. and its pretty long too so that would make like both parts hella crazy.
> 
> Well I hope you enjoy! Make sure to leave a comment!

_You stood straight, shoulders even with your chin high, on one of the multiple verdant lawns of the Shimada Estate. You kept your eyes forward, arms out to hold the white terrycloth towel in your hands. A tempting bottle of half frozen water sat delicately in the middle on the cloth.Your brows held quite the pool of perspiration as the blazing sun beat down on your skin. Your lips dry from thirst, you could feel them crack where you licked in desperation. The black polo shirt didn't help with the heat and you hoped it didn't show the staining signs of your body sweating._

_Yet you continued to stand. Back straight, chin high, arms out._

_"Again!"_

_Once more, strikes of wood on wood continued to click and clatter in a rhythmic beat. The seemingly random strikes began to play a song in your head in a desperate attempt at relieving your boredom. The past hour has been spent listening to each strike string together in a chorus, with each one ending with the soft patter of a wooden sword hitting fabric._

_"Protect your center, do not bring the blade out somewhere you can't recover. Again!" The eldest Shimada commanded the younger before each returning to their respective stances. For a moment, you darted your eyes to the skirmish between the brothers. Hanzo and Genji each held onto a wooden replacement for a katana. Their robes covered with Bōgu for protection proved to be worth the extra weight after witnessing a few merciless strikes from Hanzo. Even though their battle was harmless, Hanzo did not hesitate to play outside the traditional rules of kendo to teach Genji the closest thing to a true metal on metal duel._

**_Strike_ **

_Genji froze as the shinai struck his abdomen. His sword far above his head, leaving his center completely open for the taking. Hanzo pulled back the sword to allow his brother room to drop his arms. Before he can give another critique, Genji dropped the shinai and began to remove his helmet._

_Realizing where your eyes were, you brought them back forward. You kept them on a distant cherry blossom tree, branches void of it's famous vibrant flowers._

_"Brother, I need a break. The heat is insane." You could hear Genji pant, lungs squirming to bring in oxygen. The helmet surely would have restricted the cool air from filtering in._

_"15 minutes." Hanzo allowed. "But I won't let you go until you are able to block me successfully. If we spend the night out here then so be it." You eyes widened slightly. It was barely 12:43 in the afternoon, you would rather not spend the day crisping into burnt toast at the end._

_"Thank you." You could hear Genji's hands clasping together against the gloves in what you assume was a sincere bow._

_You decided to take that as your cue to begin making your way to him. He crunched the grass under him as he attempted to meet you halfway. The loudness of his steps contradicted the usually quiet nimbleness of his feet. The added weight of his protective gear stressed his fatigue even further._

_Finally, he reached you with an outstretched arm clawing at the slippery water bottle. Before even saying a word to you, he tossed the cap into the infinitely green grass and held the bottle upwards at what seemed to a complete 90 degree angle. You watched as his throat constricted with each swallow, the muscles visibly worked the water down. His adam's apple bobbed with each intake, your eyes seemingly glued to the movement. Water began to slip away from his mouth and dripped down the corner of his lips. It would trail his prominent jawline for just a moment before breaking away down his neck. Each dip or vein of his throat guided the droplets, before disappearing completely within the cloth of his robe. Your throat began to dry even more, the sudden desert under your tongue urged you to swallow whatever particles of moist was left._

_Quicker than humanly possible, the bottle was empty. Genji brought his chin back down along with the empty plastic in his hands. He licked his lips for a moment before bringing his eyes up to you. Suddenly conscious of your parted and thirsty lips, you quickly shut them attempting normality within your features._

_"Thanks for bringing this, I swear I lost about 5 times this in sweat." He raised the bottle for reference. You simply nodded and handed him the towel which he took eagerly. "Aren't you hot here? Why don't you go stand under the shade with my father?" He turned his head to nod towards the stoic gentleman sitting in a bamboo chair with a drink next to him on a small table. Although you never met him personally, you were quite familiar with him. Hanzo seems to be talking to him while holding an equally empty plastic bottle of water. A large umbrella stuck into the grown towered over both of them, providing them shelter from the sun's merciless waves._

_"It's not my place to share that luxury with him." You simply replied. Your voice held a raspy undertone you didn't think Genji would catch._

_"Are you thirsty?" He asked in a tone you've never heard from him before._

_"No. It's just hot. If I knew this is how I would be spending my weekends I wouldn't have agreed to switch jobs." You furrowed your brows, a few droplets of sweat took their chance to break away and run down your temple or nose. Genji snorted a reply._

_"Yeah well if I told you I wanted you as a personal maid you wouldn't have accepted."  He wiped away the sweat and water from his face and neck. You eyed each stroke reluctantly, the last bit of water being absorbed into the material._

_"Don't call me a maid, I'm a housekeeper. And you're right if I knew you wanted me to be a babysitter I wouldn't have accepted." You took the towel from his hands and folded it back to it's original shape. Keeping your eyes on the white fluff of the terrycloth in order to keep them off Genji._

_Genji watched you fumble with the cloth. The memory of him devouring the water continues to play like a movie on the back of your eyelids. Now, the amount of time socially acceptable to stare at the towel was running out, and he knew it._

_He waited for you to look back up but instead you stood your ground. Awkwardly standing with perfect posture, your eyes frozen on the cloth._

_"(Y/N)."_

_"What."_

_"Why don't you look up at me."_

_Your mind froze the time around you. All the gears shifting, powered on overdrive. You tried thinking of a reasonable excuse as to why you found the towel more interesting and less threatening than making eye contact._

_'Oh I thought there was some dirt on the towel.'_

_'It's disrespectful to make eye contact to your superiors.'_

_'I thought our conversation was done.'_

 

_"Because you're gross."_

 

_Your breathing stopped. Did you just tell him he was gross? He probably thinks your brain fried in the heat for saying something so stupid. Honestly, that would explain why you said it. You seriously thought of some decent answers and you chose to pick the absolute worst one. Your pulse began to sound deafening withing your ears. Your chest beating desperately against your rib cage. You didn't even bother to shuffle your feat like you usually do after an embarrassing moment. Your legs just quit on you and you don't blame them. You wouldn't want to work for a brain that allowed something so juvenile and idiotic to slip out._

_"I'm gross?" You heard him chuckle as he repeated your statement. You somehow managed to work your eyes up with extreme caution. He held a lopsided smile that let one of his dimples poke through. You sucked in a breath and tried your best to roll with it. You have been caught red handed undercover before, you've managed to talk your way out. Why not with this?_

_"Yeah, you're all sweaty and you smell really bad. I don't want to look at you when you're like that." That explanation couldn't have gone any worse._

_" **I** smell really bad? I've been skirmishing all morning! What's your excuse? All you had to do was stand there and look pretty and yet here you are sweating more than me!" Genji retaliated with the most childish demeanor you have ever seen. Was he really the son of an infamous criminal emperor? You were left dumbstruck. Unable to fathom how you managed to get under his skin and turn the attention from your clearly improvised and poorly executed excuse to now trying to defend himself._

_"I've been standing in the sun for the entirety of your training! I only got a break from standing here roasting an hour ago!" You shot back, now running with this conversation._

_"Oh I am sosorry you had to stand there, princess! If I had known it was such back breaking work I would have let you take my place and do my training for me!" His sarcasm caused his voice to be peaking in a higher pitch than usual. You wanted to burst into laughter so bad. You bit your tongue as hard as you can without harming yourself. You kept your brows crinkled in false anger to keep the facade up. Genji's anger, however, seemed to be genuine._

_"Well why don't you!? You want me to do everything for you anyways, why not this?!" You bluffed. From behind Genji, you could see Hanzo and his father turn their attention to your one sided altercation. Even Hanzo's personal help broke her perfected posture to crane a neck to watch the commotion._

_"Fine!"_

_"What?"_

_"I said fine! You wanna stand there and complain to me about doing everything then why don't you live up to those words!" He began to strip away the armor. And you're eyes widened. He is being serious._

_"Genji, I was just kidding. I can't fight Hanz-"_

_"Do you want to keep your job?" Genji suddenly paused, staring right through your eyes and into the void of your pupils. His chest piece and gloves already on the floor. Genji was in the middle of getting his lower abdomen guard off._

_"My job? Of course, but I was just teasing you I didn't mean for you to take it seri-"_

_"Then you'll fight for it." He finished taking off the armor. He even shed the robe and held it out for you. His plain black t-shirt hugged the muscles of his pectorals as well as his arms equally. His compression pants did no justice to keep away your attention. Luckily, Genji was too angry to notice."I'll give you a raise if you win. If you don't, I'm making you a dishwasher."_

_Taking the robe in your hands he grabbed the towel and threw it on the floor next to the armor. You were in quite the predicament here. Either feign incompetence and lose the fight, or show your true skills and win. Losing would come with making your job much more difficult at gathering intel and eventually bringing down the head of the clan, it could even lengthen your mission by years. Yet winning would show you are more than just some 20 year old with no other option for life than cleaning their home. Neither option sat well with you, it was a matter of picking your poison at this point._

_The girl who personally works for Hanzo had made her way over. She quickly bowed to Genji before giving you an acknowledging nod. Her bangs popped out from her bun, the bobby pins did little to keep them out of her face._

_"I apologize for interrupting, Mr. Shimada is waiting for you to return to training, sir." She kept her eyes by her feet to avoid any disrespectful body language._

_"Tell Hanzo he's to duel (Y/N). If he rejects, send him to me." Genji replied with little thought. His eyes staring holes into you._

_"Yes, sir." The girl bowed once more before turning to you. She held out a water bottle with the same glistening outer shell as the one you saved for Genji._

_"Mr. Shimada also asked me to bring this to you." You took it thankfully in your free hand before voicing your appreciation. Just as quickly as she appeared, she nodded and made her way back to Hanzo._

_Before another second was lost, you twisted the cap and just as desperately as Genji, chugged the entire bottle. With no thought or grace, the water flowed down past your tongue and into the dry depths of your esophagus. Your muscles couldn't work fast enough to keep up with each swallow, so water began to slip away in a very similar fashion to Genji. Too soon, the water was finished and you tossed the bottle with no thought. You didn't even bother to wipe away the residue as you slipped on the robe._

_"I thought you weren't thirsty." Genji seemed slightly remorseful, but refused to revoke his challenge. His eyes though, stayed on the glistening stains on your chin and neck._

_"I was being courteous." You replied with all levels of seriousness now._

_You realized your mistake in thinking you could fit in his much larger robe. But you worked with it anyways. You rolled up the sleeves in the least constricting manner to give your hands a chance to breathe. You pulled up the waist of the rope and tucked it under the tare, hoping the belt will keep the pant legs of the robe out of your way._

_Before you could finish fitting the chest piece on yourself, Hanzo made his way over in haste._

_"(Y/N), what are you doing? Genji are you going to let her do this?" Hanzo's brows scrunched together in equal parts confusion and anger._

_"He's not letting me do it, he's forcing me." You answered for Genji. You finally clipped the chest piece and began working the easier components of the shin guards and gloves._

_"What? Genji You can't be serious." Hanzo attempted to reach for your gloves before you swatted his hands away._

_"She said she can do it." You held onto the gloves before reaching down to the shin guards. Hanzo looked back and forth from you and Genji before contorting his face into confusion._

_"I was just teasing, you don't have to threaten my job because you are so childish." You retorted with venom. Now he's trying to pin this situation on you._

_"You can't expect me to just go along with your little game without a say." He attempted to argue._

_"That's exactly what I'm expecting you to do." Genji gave Hanzo a sarcastic curl of his lips, before dropping it to go back to his pouted state._

_You had each shin guard on and was fitting the gloves on your hands. Despite the size of the gloves, they seemed to fit more comfortably than expected. You were able to wiggle your fingers and make fists with ease. You looked up at the brothers, one returning the gaze with anger while the other with worry. Both however didn't take their eyes off you as you brought the helmet up to your face._

_Pushing back any stray hairs, you fit the helmet on and brought it down to your shoulders. The smell inside was heavily reminiscent of Genji's overly priced cologne and the sweat you had insulted earlier. To be honest, the odor inside isn't as bad as you had exaggerated earlier. If anything it smelt familiar. Not the remembering type of familiar, it just smelt personal, at home, easing._

_"I don't want to fight her." Hanzo's objection snapped you out of your thoughts. You turned to face the two Shimada's._

_"You have to, or she's going to be washing dishes for the rest of her life."_

_"What if I quit?"_

_"As if you'd quit. Please, what's an orphan kid with no education going to do for work in Japan nowadays?"_

_Your breath hitched at the insult. Through all the teasing you and Genji have gone through, he has never brought up something so personal before._

_"Genji..." Hanzo's voiced dripped with guilt. Even though he didn't say it, he feels the second hand remorse radiating from his brother. "This has gone too far, just let her do her job. You both can take a break today." He tried reasoning._

_"(Y/N), I'm sorry I-I didnt mean tha-"  You grabbed the collar of his t-shirt before bringing it down his face to the mesh of your mask. You can see clearly the way his face contorts to his radiating guilt. He didn't even bother fighting your grip. Luckily, the mask hides the reddening of your eyes. The snarl of your lips. You are sure it even muffles the anger in your breathing._

 

_"You know **nothing** of who I am."  
_

 

_You released him with a shove. You walked out to the opening in which Hanzo and Genji were dueling earlier. On the way, you picked up the sword that was discarded on his journey to the water. The bamboo of the shinai proved to be heavier than it looks. The sword however, despite its weight, is terribly well balanced. The Shimada Clan spared no expense when it came to even these practice swords, it seems._

_You turned to see Hanzo has yet to move from his spot. Genji seems to still be recovering from this side of you he has never seen. His pristine shirt now wrinkled at the collar._

_"Hanzo!" You screamed his name with a vicious temper. He visibly faltered at hearing your voice. Genji too felt the animistic rage boiling in your vocal cords. You no longer questioned whether or not you were going to purposely falter during this duel. It may not be the smartest choice, but you had to prove yourself to them._

_Hanzo reluctantly walked to you. You began lifting the shinai in front of you, planting your feet in the ground in a perfected stance. Dominant foot behind you to allow you a quicker strike and better footing. The sword's hilt level with your waist, the bamboo stretches out in front of you. Hanzo eyed your stance, noticing it is not the most traditional, but technically very sound._

_He fitted the helmet on and walked up to you._

_"You don't have to do this, (Y/N)." He gave you one more chance to back out._

_"Don't hold back." Your voice was a low growl. You could hear Hanzo cursing under the mesh. He brought his sword up similar to you, but with his legs instead parallel to each other. His left heel was risen ever so slightly, notably for mobility. His waist was straight and shoulders slack. Back with perfect posture, he chose the more traditional route._

_"There are no rules, just do what you can to knock me off my feet or strike me with the shinai." Hanzo clarified. This really wasn't anything like kendo._

_"Understood."_

 

* * *

 

 

_The both of you stood in your respected stances and slowly brought the bamboo together. Once contact was made You dashed forward with ease, careful to watch his left foot. As predicted, Hanzo easily twisted your head on strike to move past his shoulder. Carefully you pushed forward into the deflection rather than trying to recover from it, which allowed you to momentarily have an opening to his back. He realized quicker than you wanted him to. He seized the moment from you and managed to swipe away the strike, giving himself a few paces from you._

_"Have you done this before?" He asked between pants. The both of you slowly swiveled around each other. The sword tips barely making contact as the two of you seemed to dance in a circle._

_You simply remained silent. Refusing to answer seemed better than having another one of your slips be worse._

_"I guess I really won't hold back" You could hear a slight chuckle. But you continued your stoicism._

_Once you caught your breath, you slapped away his bamboo before centering another strike towards his belly. Again, with ease he deflected the strike and turned his own shinai to you. You sucked in a breath, watching the tip cut through the air towards your chest. You then pulled your head back, dropping to your knees. The action quick enough to leave you watching the wood whistle past your mask, the trajectory unfaltering. All within the same momentum, you then tucked in your head and arms into your chest rolling right past his right foot. The action left him struggling to shift the weight onto the left foot, all the while still recovering from the momentum of his strike._

_With your own leg, you swiped across his foot. He had already shifted his weight, so he managed to simply bring his right foot over your own. What he didn't expect, was for you to grab the foot as it dangled momentarily in the air. With all your might, you pulled. The nimble left foot which hardly held onto his weight during battle faltered. His footing failed him and he began to tumble backwards as you stood, still holding onto his foot. Once his back hit the ground, you released his foot to bring your own sword to his throat. Gently you pressed against his chin._

_"I believe I have earned myself a raise."_

_Your heavy breathing matched the rise and fall of Hanzo's chest. Although short, the battle took quite the amount of energy. You are sure the previous skirmishes between himself and his brother had already taken its toll. You removed your helmet and was finally able to breathe the fresh air, but was slightly missing the smell inside._

_"Beautifully executed." You shot your head up to meet the view of Eito Shimada, standing from his chair clapping. Genji stood by his side with wide eyes. His face unreadable, he watched as his brother sat up from his position on the floor._

_"My apologizes sir, I did not mean to interfere with your son's training." You dropped the sword beside you before Bowing your head. You kept your eyes to the floor. You could see Hanzo from your peripherals rise with ease._

_"Apologies? What for, my dear? You managed to take down my eldest, a feat not to take lightly." His voice was raspy, possibly from age. You could hear the crunching of the grass under his feat as he approached yet you made no effort to bring your head up._

_He stopped in front of you. It seems like you are witnessing the similar view of feet as when Hanzo arrived from his trip weeks ago._

_"You may bring your head up, dear. I won't bite." He sounded stern, yet with a reassuring undertone. You brought up your head, taking in his features. His graying hair was cut short and combed back. His goatee was more white than its natural black. His eyes and nose was the spitting image of Hanzo's. Crows feet crinkled further as he smiled at you, which he clearly gave Genji. Even the adorning dimples flexed the same way Genji's did. Although intimidating, he was still slightly shorter than his sons. Which left you facing him much more easier._

_"May I ask where you learned skills like that?" He asked politely. However, even with the calm and reassuring tone, the question was difficult to answer without giving away your little secret. One wrong word and you could be caught, your mission and life could end right there._

_"When I was little, a traveling swordsman found me on the streets." You began. The image of Jesse McCree began to form within your mind. "I was starving, so he offered me food. However, when he brought me to his people, I actually managed to bring down one of his men. So he decided to kindle my potential, and take me in. He trained me up until I was 17. People took him away and I was left to the streets again. But a year later one of your Housekeepers found me, Kyo. She took me in and even spoke to you for me in order to hire me." You finished with a slight smile. That is technically how you infiltrated the Clan. You wondered the streets weeks prior until a sweet woman offered you shelter. Kyo took you in, fed you, bathed you, and even helped you get hired here. Despite your mission, you always felt personally attached to her. Heavily advised against by Reyes, you couldn't help yourself. She was the closest thing to a mother you ever had._

_"She never told me of this, I wouldn't have made you maid if I knew." You bit back a retort about being called a maid. Instead showing another smile._

_"I never told her. All she knew was that I was wandering the streets, unsure of my own origins." You replied. You took a moment to look at Genji. He brought his head down when your gaze met. He suddenly found digging his shoe into the grass was more interesting than you._

_"My, you have been through quite the journey. Haven't you, dear?" He seemed to ask rhetorically. He examined your features. The way your eyes darted to the slightest of movement. How you bit your cheeks from nervousness. your brows still held the pool of sweat, your cheeks and forehead glazed over. He even caught the almost transparent scar half hidden within your hairline. A memento of why you teach gun safety first before giving a very eager 9 year old their first revolver._

_"You are Genji's, yes?" He asked this time for you to answer. He lifted his head with the mention of his name._

_"Uhh, yes. No, I'm not, like, 'His'. I'm just his babysitter. WAIT no! I didn't mean it like that! I'm his personal maid! NO! Housekeeper! I'm sorry I think I'll see myself out now." Genji cracked a smile at your ramblings. You flared your arms in front of you in an attempt to dismiss each statement. Eito even let out a laugh as you struggled to answer._

_"You don't have to leave quite yet. I have a proposal for you." He shimmered his laughter down to a mischievous smile. One you have seen all too often with Genji._

_"A proposal? I hope it's for that raise I was promised because last time I was given a 'proposal' your son tricked me into being his nanny." You felt a little more confident now that the Shimada's were sharing a laughter. And with luck, Eito took the joke with an easy heart and laughter._

_"Oh my, I do have to apologize for him. But do not worry, you will be getting a raise with this job I have to offer you." He took a moment to pause. A little too long because your eyes began to wander back to Genji for any sign of him being in on this "proposal"._

_"Would you be willing to train him? Also look after him when he travels. Much like a body guard, if you don't mind."_

_"Father, I don't think that's necess-" Genji began to cut in, but getting a taste of his own medicine, his father cut in._

_"This is not for you to decide, (Y/N) has the choice." Genji quickly shut his mouth once his father's stern voice made a reappearance. The smile he adorned earlier fell away once he began speaking to Genji. The lightheartedness of his voice gone within an instant. It's almost as if he's a completely different man._

_He turned his attention to you, the smile returning._

_"So, will you take it?"_

_"I-I'm not sure I'm fit for something like that, sir." You began to stutter out. You didn't want to anger the man, but denying it seemed like your only option._

_"Of course you are! Hanzo hasn't lost a duel since he was a boy, and you beat him within the minute." You turned to Hanzo, who nodded in confirmation. "My son tends to find trouble quicker than water runs down a stream, and with what I've seen here today I truly believe you can make sure that trouble doesn't bring him harm." Genji's cheeks were reddening by the moment. His pout and furrowed brows caused a smile to grace your lips ever so slightly. You turned back Eito Shimada and gave out a sigh. Although he is your boss, he gives the impression that you can be easy around him._

_"I'll take it. But training and the likes are under my conditions if that's okay?" You asked cautiously, unsure if you pushed too far._

_"Of course, dear. You have free reign over his activities now." A mischievous smile graced your lips as you turned to the younger Shimada. Genji stared back some parts fear other parts regret. If he never snapped and forced you to duel, this wouldn't happen._

_"Thank you for the opportunity, sir." You bowed your head and he voiced appreciation for taking the job._

_Eito took his leave with another servant who was tending to him. He held an umbrella over the Shimada as they walked back to the estate._

_"That was dirty what you did, (Y/N)." Hanzo spoke from your side. You simply scoffed._

_"You did say no rules, remember?" You gave him a wink before starting to strip down your armor._

_"Whatever. It was still dirty."_

_It seems the three of you have become more comfortable with each other now. A morning fighting each other proved to be an excellent friendship builder._

_"(Y/N) I'm really sorry for what I said, it was kind of a heat of the moment type of thing." Genji tried to apologize, clearly he hasn't done this enough since he looked fairly confused. You gave him a good squint before nodding._

_"It's okay. I know you are just saying that so I don't break you during training but either way I'm not going easy." Genji's brows turned upwards, giving you the most desperate pout. You struggled to keep your expression stoic._

_"No I really mean it!" Again, the questioning look on his face appeared. You simply patted his shoulder before giving him the most angelic smile your sinister soul could muster up._

_"Nice try, pretty boy. I'm putting you through hell." Genji collapsed on the grass in defeat. His groans echoed through the lawn as he continued to ramble._

_"Hanzo! Is this how apologizing works?!" He called for his brother._

_"Only yours, Genji."  He let his deep voice chuckle while watching his brother suffer. You simply returned to removing the rest of the armor._

_"Hey, (Y/N)?" You were already stripping away the robe when Genji grabbed your attention._

_"We're here."_

_This time you knew exactly what was going on. You slumped your shoulders and pouted your lips. Genji rose from the grass without a speck out of place and faced you._

_"5 more minutes?" You begged. Genji simply nodded a no._

 

_"Come on, love. You've had the whole trip to sleep, no more '5 more minutes'." Genji spoke to you, but you knew it wasn't him talking._

 

"OW!" You rose from your seat instinctively reaching for your arm. "What the heck, Tracer! What was that for?!" Lena leaned forward in front of you, mimicking a crab motion with her hands.

"You weren't getting up so I let these buggers do it for you!" She reached for your other arm but instead of sticking with the crab hands, she shifted her fingers to pinch a tight space of skin between her nails.

"AH! STOP!" You slapped her away and she giggled off a few feet away.

"We're here, love!" She motioned for the glass pane that was closest to her. Taking steps to view through the glass, you see waving crashing against an empty, clean beach. Further up as the plane travels, the beach turns into a cliff that blocks away the climbing water. White foam leaves its mark against the stones with each hit. Following up the cliff, an obviously man made structure is seen dangerously close to falling over. Years from now, erosion might just cause the closer buildings to collapse into the great blue.

"So this is the Watchpoint?" You asked to no one in particular.

"This is where all the Recall agents are staying! It's just like old times!" Lena being ecstatic as ever, bounced around the cabin. Her laughter and rambling brought a smile to your lips as you made your way back to your seat. You were actually pretty nervous arriving here. You never truly were part of the Overwatch family, yet they always welcomed you with open arms. You just hoped you proved to be as useful as the rest of the team.

"Alright ladies, we are making a landing so strap in." Marcus called from the cockpit. His jet was small enough to do so even through the loud hiss of the engines. Lena finally took a moment to stop racing about the cabin in order to take a seat next to you. Once you both were buckled up, she reached over and grabbed your hand. Much like she was getting ready for a roller coaster. Who knows, maybe this recall is the beginning of one.

The plane landed without a hitch. Lena almost didn't even wait for Marcus to give the okay to unbuckle before she bounced out of her seat. As you took your time getting out of your seat, she was already dragging her luggage to the hangar doors.

"So, this is it." Marcus stepped out of the cockpit to help with your bags. You smiled at him appreciatively.

"Yep. It's finally happening." You grabbed a bag before beginning to chase Lena down. "I'm gonna miss you kid." You gave Marcus a side glance along with a signature smirk.

"Kid?! I'm 28!" He defended.

"Still a kid in my heart." You both managed to drag the luggage outside the doors and you finally were able to take in your view.

Lena abandoned her bag at the sight of Winston, who waited by the landing site for you two. Her small body was already wrapped around the gorilla, hands rummaging through his black hair. Their laughter and greetings echoed elegantly between the rocks. You took your eyes off them too appreciate the breathtaking view of the ocean breaking through a setting sun. The bronze of the sky with the indigo shades of waves created a sharp line of contrast across the horizon, The bright colors left you with their after colors behind your eyelids once you turned your attention to your suitcase.

Before taking a hold of the handle, however, your lungs decided it wanted to taste more the foreign air. The night being crisp and easy on the skin, You took in a deep breath, holding it in tightly as if someone is trying to steal it. Finally after a few moments, you let go.

 

It smells, familiar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhhhh!!!!!! I really liked this one. Like reaaalllly liked this one. the entire dream was kind of a ride though im not gonna lie emotions did shift very quickly, which i hope didnt make it too awkward. I might fix it when I go through all of it.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! Make sure to leave a comment!


	6. Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holllyy crap okay so this chapter was originally hella long like longer than the last chapter so I decided to release it as two parts. They are both up now so don't worry about having to wait another few days for it. buuuttt holllyy crap this chapter was a good one. Well both chapters together are a good one. At least I think so.
> 
> I hope you enjoy! Don't forget to leave a comment!
> 
> P.S. i incorrectly said tracer and reader have been running for 2 years, but the fall happened 5 years ago. So i switched the years in the earlier chapter to match the canon timeline  
> Let me know of any mistakes with the timeline!!

"It's so good to finally see you, (Y/N)." 

You had finally caught up with Lena, now greeting Winston once you were able to pry her off him. After saying your goodbyes, Marcus left with a hug from both you and Lena. He was never part of Overwatch, only the Slipstream project which meant he couldn't stay for the recall. However, you have heard of Winston hiring a few extra hands so Marcus joining by your recommendation isn't impossible.

"Likewise, Winston. I see these past 5 years have kept you busy." You offered him a sincere smile and gently wrapped your arms around as much of him as you can. He simply brought an arm over your shoulders, giving you a tight squeeze. Him and Lena were the only two you were personally connected with once you joined Overwatch. 

"And you weren't exactly on vacation either, I've seen the trouble you two have been up to." You and Lena didn't shy away from the chaos of the world. Doing your part to keep order and holding back all the evils of mankind kept the both of you on your toes. No matter how difficult, the pair of you would take on any challenge if it meant saving even one life.

"Why don't we save the catching up once we meet the others? I want to see them so bad I've been on the verge of bouncing out my trousers since we got here!" Lena interrupted. Excitement is bleeding from her aura, you gave her a nod of approval. Turning to Winston you gave him quick reassurance to catch up later.

Grabbing two of the suitcases, one rolled with ease while you struggled to carry the other by hand. Lena managed her own by wheeling it next to her. Winston noticed your strain and with ease took up the handle of the heavier case. Thanking him, the three of you made your way from the landing strip to the base. Trees and boulders surrounded the trail Winston led you on. 

Although halfway through, the forest gave way to rocks and other earth formations. Green no longer adorned your vision, but instead let you have a clearer view of the base. Past the rocks, you could see a large rocket patiently sat towards you three. Buildings peeked over the large rock walls that separated you and the actual Watchpoint. From this angle, it seems the buildings have been built right into the earth.

"A few of the others have already arrived and been debriefed, a pair even left to help some of the other members get back here safely. By tonight you should be able to meet most of the team." Winston filled you in once you reached a thick metal door built right into the rock wall. A panel slide open on the side, revealing a keypad and camera. You stood by patiently as Winston entered the 7 digits, which prompted the camera to activate.

"Facial recognition: Confirmed. Welcome, Winston." 

Athena spoke through unidentified speakers as the door clicked with each unlock, opening with a slide. It's been a while since you heard the A.I.'s smoothly accented voice.

"After you, ladies." Winston took a step beside the door, allowing entry to both you and Lena.

"Such a gentleman." Lena commented with a skip. She took no unnecessary time to wait any further, her excitement continuing to boil within her core. You followed with a appreciative nod to Winston.

After going through what seemed like an infinite amount of twists and turns, you finally reached a doorway that led to the outside. The sun caused you to take a moment to adjust your eyes. The rocket from earlier was now clearly in full view. The jets letting off a misty stream of fuel and vapor. it easily towered over the entirety of the base, including the large cave-like structure further down.

"Tracer! Oh, I've missed you so much!" A woman you recognized as Angela Ziegler made her way to your group. She was rather tall in person, easily a head taller than Lena.

"Doc! It's been ages!" Lena went in for another hug, yet much more restrained than Winston's. Dr. Ziegler returned it with a rub on her back. Her blonde locks scrunched against Lena's as they embraced. "How've you been, love?" Lena asked once releasing.

"Not as busy as I would have liked, it's hard finding work when you have an affiliation with Overwatch." The doctor replied truthfully. Her features scrunched with disappointment. She quickly replaced it though with a smile before asking Lena in return. "What about you, dear? Have you been getting yourself in trouble?"

"Trouble?! Pshhh never! Do you even know me? Trouble isn't even in my vocabulary!" Lena replied with obviously false confidence.

"She's managed to age me an extra 20 years with everything she gets herself into." You replied behind her. Lena turned with a pout and scrunched eyebrows. Crossing her arms in defeat. Dr. Ziegler let out a laugh, her pony tail bouncing with the throw of her head.

"I don't believe we've met?" She held out a hand once her chuckles subsided. Before she could give you her name, you finished it for her.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Dr. Ziegler. Your reputation precedes you." She gave your hand a gentle shake. Her palms her a lot more rough than they looked, assuming because of her work in engineering nanotechnology rather than her medical occupation. "I'm (Y/N) (L/N), former Blackwatch agent."

"Please, call me Angela. Some of the others call me 'Mercy' however, so you may use which you prefer." Angela smiled lightly. The slight unevenness of her jaw caused the pull of her lips to rise unevenly, although only added to her charm. "It's a pleasure to meet you, (Y/N)."

 

After meeting with her, she joined the three of you on your field trip around the base. You met with a few more faces. Reinhardt gave you and Lena an ecstatic greeting. Even with you only meeting him a couple of times before, his booming voice didn't shy away from giving you a proper welcome. You also had the chance of meeting one of the mercenaries Lena had mentioned earlier. Symmetra introduced herself politely with a polished attitude. Her demeanor was pristine and without fault. She seemed intimidating at first, but you parted with a good impression of her. Even Mei, the small and sweet woman managed to leave you with her more playful and mischievous side. You had thought with her accommodations in the scientific community she would hold herself at a higher and more serious standard, but once meeting her she disproved you with a few jokes and easy going attitude. 

"Everyone seems so nice here." You told Lena as you walked further into the base. Winston decided to show you two to your dorms as you all dragged along the luggage still.

"We're all family here, and so are you." She gave you a quick curl of the lips before turning back to watch Winston ahead of you.

"She's right. Even if you are just getting here, you are still considered one of us." Angela chipped in next to you. She offered an equally assuring smile.

"Just around this corner will be your rooms." Winston led the group down the hall. Much like a college dormitory, the hallway was filled with about 10 separate rooms all modeled after each other. Several floors made up the entire building as housing, with each floor holding their own communal bathrooms and showers. Most of the team filled the first floor, but a select few like Symmetra and Winston found the isolation of the higher floors more appealing. He made the same offer to you, but declined in favor of staying close to Lena.

Just as you made it around, another member was exiting their room. A very gentle click of the lock grabbed the groups attention. A metal hand hovered over the handle as they turned to face all of you.

"Greetings. Winston, Angela." The omnic's smooth voice acknowledged the two ahead of you. You turned to Lena for any indication of who he was, but she didn't seem to know him either.

"Good afternoon, Zenyatta. I hope these accommodations suit you well?" Mercy asked with sincerity. Zenyatta slowly made his way over to the group, sandals clacking against the tile floors. His robe gently flowed along with his walk, the tattered ends of his sleeves hung delicately parallel with his arms. Intricately designed orbs flowed in an infinite halo around his neck. He seemed to look over the two he acknowledged to eye you and Lena, although it was brief. He seemed to find more interest in you.

"I assume these are the new members you spoke of, Winston." Zenyatta asked once he reached the group. His voice melodic against the grain of his own robotic vocal chords. Nevertheless, he still sounded very phonetically pleasing.

"They are, meet Lena Oxton. Otherwise known as Tracer. And this is-"

"(Y/N) (L/N), it's a pleasure to finally be of acquaintance." The group all turned their heads to you. The gears in your head turning to search for the memory of introducing earlier.

"I'm sorry, have we met before?" You asked cautiously. You didn't want to sound rude, but you really couldn't remember if you had met him before. The group simultaneously turned back to Zenyatta once finishing your question.

"We have not, but a friend has spoken highly of you." Zenyatta replied shaking his head. The confusion set upon your face now. You personally didn't know any omnics to be considered friends with. In fact, Lena and Marcus were your only friends that you made contact with after the fall. But you weren't one to brag about, Marcus doesn't seem like the type to talk about you with his own people.

"Are you a friend of Marcus?" You asked without any other thought. Once again, he shook his head disproving your theory.

"It has been quite the amount of years since you last spoke, but even so you seem to be exactly as he described." The cryptic undertone was starting to bite at you. Before you could ask another question, Lena cut in.

"You were part of the Shambali, weren't you?" Lena asked curiously. You began to realize why the orbs were familiar. Even the robes and twisted rope around his hips began to make sense.

"I was. No longer am I member, however." He replied just as calmly.

"My condolences, Mondatta was a symbol of hope for everyone." Lena offered with a tone that spoke apologies and guilt.

"As he continues to be, his death only awakens more to follow in his footsteps towards a better world for all." Zenyatta took a step forward, taking Lena's hands in his own. You watched as he gently squeezed in assurance. Lena still must be feeling the aftereffects of that night. You knew it would be hard on her, Zenyatta's presence must be bringing the memory and emotions back as a flooding wave. "You mustn't falter now, the world needs you. Uphold the balance as Mondatta would want us to do." Lena's face was already scrunched together in an effort to hold back tears. Zenyatta simply tilted his head, the lack of facial features causes him to be reliant on his body language to relay his emotion. You considered stepping in, taking care of Lena is what you do. When she is at her lowest, you always pick her up. But right now, in this moment. She seems to be fighting to claw her way up. Zenyatta simply guiding her to reach the top.

"There is no need to hold back anymore. If you let the disquiet within your essence escape, all that will be left is tranquility." At these words, Lena let it all out. She whimpered as tears began to trail down her cheeks. Your own eyes watering at the sight. She never showed any other emotion other than joy around anyone else. You were all that she showed this side to, and to see her break down all her walls for so many people made you proud. She needs as many people as she can trust, now she can add everyone in this hall to that list.

"I tried s-so hard to save him, and I know he would tell me it simply wasn't meant to be but I still can't help but blame myself." She admitted. Angela began to rub her back in an effort to sooth her hiccups and cries. Winston stood back with you considerately to give her space. She still held on tightly to Zenyatta as he listened to her expel her qualms.

"And because of that, I know he would be grateful to you. Your effort does not go unnoticed, which is why you must carry on for him. Continue to undue the chaos of the world. Balance out the evils for the sake of harmony." He assured her. Lena continued to sob, Angela now wrapping an arm around her. Zenyatta let her hands go so she can hold onto the doctor. He took a step back, bringing his hands together. You took this as your cue to join Angela with comforting Lena. Releasing from the woman, she held onto you with a desperate grip. She cried into your shirt as you stroked her hair. Shushing her gently, she managed to bring her sobs to quiet sniffles. She pulled back, turning to Zenyatta.

"Thank you, your words meant a lot to me." She rubbed away the wetness around her eyes, her voice still hoarse. 

"Words they are, which is why you must put them to action for any true meaning." He offered. Lena simply nodded at the wise words, offering him a kind smile. He decided to take his leave once she calmed down. Giving everyone a proper goodbye before making his way past the group towards the exit. Winston quickly turned your attention to the door next to you, voicing it was Lena's room. You led her inside before she asked for a moment to take everything in.

"I just need some time to calm down a bit, is all." She sat at the end of the already dressed bed. She placed her bag by her feet, soaking up her surroundings.

"Okay, I'm going to settle in my place next door and follow Winston with whatever he needs me to do." Earlier on the tour, he mentioned you needed to fill out some things for Athena so she can categorize you and assign missions according so.

"Alright, love. Don't have too much fun without me." She offered a smile, which left you assured she was going to be fine.

"I would never, I'll come back in a bit." You wrapped your arms around her before giving her an exaggerated kiss on her temple. She fiddled in your arms, trying to avoid your lips. Her giggles gave way to you chucking. She always fought your motherly tendencies, yet you both knew she loved the attention. Only being a few years older than her, you still felt responsible to her and picked up the mother-figure act quickly.

 

You decided to leave your suitcase in your room and unpack it later so you wouldn't leave Winston waiting for too long. He was a busy person, so you didn't want to waste anymore time than necessary. Angela had left once Lena settled in, she had work to do in the medical wing so she politely said her goodbyes before taking her leave. It was just you and Winston now walking through the compound to his workshop, which you can fill out whatever he needs and update Athena immediately.

"And here I thought you missed me, doll." A thick southern drawl snatched your attention quicker than it should have, but before he could finish that sentence you had already known who that accent belonged to.

"Missed you? As if that'll ever be a thing." You shot back, facing a scruffy beard and lit cigar. "Been months since your last visit, I thought you forgot me, McCree." You grinned at the cowboy in front of you. A metal chest plate adorned his center covering a button up with rolled up sleeves. His usually obnoxious poncho missing from his attire. However, he never seems to leave the house without his revolver settling on his thigh, the actual holster hanging from his belt buckle. His metal arm clenched loosely against his hip as he took your image in. His hat shadowing the sun from his eyes.

"So you did miss me then?" His smile widened while you simply scoffed at his ego. You quickly gave him a good squeeze, your arms wrapping around his shoulders while his own settled around your waist. "Damn good sight you are. I'm glad you're here." He released you to take another look, emphasizing his point.

"Good to see you too, Jesse." You took a moment to look back at Winston, who gave you a smile assuring you he can wait. But you didn't want to strain his kindness. "Listen I gotta do some things for Winston but on the way out I'll catch up with you, alright?" You offered Jesse, who simply tilted his hat in approval. You noticed his leather glove was worn down, along with everything else really. But his appearance didn't matter to you, all you cared about was finally being able to see him. Especially without the fear of being caught by authorities enforcing the Petra's Act.

"Sure thing, darlin'. Take your time." He curled one corner of his lips upward in approval. You thanked him quickly before turning back to Winston. Giving one last wave, the pair of you made your way inside doors that slide open into the ground and ceiling.

 

You sat at one of the computers littered around the room. Winston had to bring over a real chair to replace the tire that he used as a seat.

"Just fill out these questions and when you finish I'll do the rest." He instructed while taking a sit a few paces away, twisting open a bottle of peanut butter and beginning to dig in.

You turned to the screen which held not as many questions as you had thought.

**1\. Enter your Last, First name in the space provided along with your preferred name/code name in the parenthesis.**

Alright seems easy so far. Your last name came from the Deadlock leader, since you only knew your first.

**2\. Date of birth along with country of origin.**

Country of origin? You filled in 'United States' and the date to match when you were found by Jesse, which is what you celebrated your birthday on every year since. Your birth year is an estimation. You simply had to deduct 30 years from the current year and hoped it was close enough.

**3\. Any known medical history involving serious illness or injury. Include prosthetic's and any diagnosed mental illness in the space provided.**

You filled it out accordingly. This one seems to be easier than the last two for you. At least you knew for sure what to fill in.

**4\. Military affiliation prior to Overwatch. Include military ranking in the space provided.**

Does Deadlock count? No, that's a gang not military. Wait, does Blackwatch count? You fill that in just to be safe.

**5\. Any avian or vehicular training of any kind. List specific vehicles in the space provided.**

Vehicular training? Does that mean cars? Yeah, cars should be fine.

**6\. Any specific skill set (e.g. martial arts, marksman training, computer tech, etc.)**

Well, you typed in 'masters degree in kicking ass' before giggling to yourself and erasing it. You thought for a moment, before realizing you really couldn't answer. You were skilled with anything that required the use of your own hands. As long as that anything wasn't a gun, however.

"Hey, Winston? Does Hand-to-hand combat count as a skill set?" You poked your head over the monitor to ask Winston. He nodded in agreement before returning to his peanut butter. You thanked him before filling it out. Even adding CQC to sound more professional. You even added weapons technician and engineer. Your downtime in Blackwatch was spent cleaning and repairing the teams weapons. Being the youngest, they gave you the worst job.

**7\. Specific weaponry skills (e.g. Sniper rifle, batons, pulse rifle, etc)**

'see above for answer'

**8\. Specific combat preference (e.g. firefight, vehicular warfare, civilian escort, etc.)**

Those examples are kind of weird, you decide to fill in espionage and infiltration. Any thing involving actual combat is where you struggled, speaking that you couldn't handle a gun. Your own fists were a preference over rifles.

**9\. Next of kin or any person(s) to notify upon the death or severe injury of agent. Include full names and addresses in the space provided.**

This one caught you by surprise. The suddenness of the question threw you off and left you staring at the words for a moment. There was no one really outside Overwatch there for you. You had no real family or friends, everyone you considered close were affiliated with Overwatch in one way or another.

You decided to fill in N/A.

"Hey Winston, I think I finished." You scrolled as far down from the screen as you can, but the last question was in fact number 9 so there was nowhere to go. Winston rose from the tire and made his way to the screen. Typing away quicker than you can keep up, he began uploading the answers into the system servers. Athena voiced approval, telling you she will consider your answers when forming teams for missions and the like. Winston helped you up from the seat and walked you to the door.

"Thank you for filling this out, it really helps me when deciding who goes out." Winston thanked you which prompted you to wave your hands in front of him.

"I should be thanking you for taking me in. I just hope I prove to be as useful as everyone else here." He snorted before assuring you.

"Just being here is more than enough." Again, the both of you traded thanks before you began taking steps outside. After waving to him, you turned to Jesse who stood in the shade under one of the many catwalks around the compound.

"I hope you didn't wait long." You walked up to McCree, who began putting his cigar out with the bottom of his shoe.

"Not at all. So tell me, kid. What you've been up to?" He asked as you both walked back to the dorms. The distance should be enough for both of you to catch up the past few months.

"Just the usual. Independent missions and even as mercenaries for a while. What ever did good for people and paid well. What about you?" You turned your attention to him. His beard protruding from this angle. You could see crow's feet forming by his eyes from all the squinting you warned him about.

"Bustin' the bad guys and delivering justice." He exaggerated. From the last time you two had met, he was traveling the South as a gun for hire. It seems he was doing what you were doing practically, working to help the people against the 'bad guys'.

"You watch too many old West movies. Especially the ones with Clint Eastwood." You joked. He pretended to be insulted as you both continued your walk.

 

* * *

 

 

"Well this is my stop. It was good catching up, McCree." You had stopped in front of Lena's door. Jesse leaned against the wall before motioning to the room across the hall.

"That's me right there, so if ya need anything give me a knock." You thanked him, giving him a quick hug as a goodbye. You turned back to the door and opened it accordingly. Jesse watched you enter the room before going into his own.

 

Once entering, you noticed Lena fast asleep on the bed. The suitcase was open but no progress seemed to be made past that. The girl lay on the bed without even changing into pajamas, which is what you assume she opened her suitcase for. She always had a peeve about sleeping in her day clothes. Better yet, her shoes were still on. So you took it upon yourself to take them off for her. 

You sat on the floor, beginning to sort through her suitcase before the intercom relayed Athena's voice.

"Agents: (L/N), Soldier:76, and Mercy, please report to debriefing room 2 immediately." You sat staring into the ceiling. Already getting called in? You turned to Lena who was still fast asleep. Her light snores echoed throughout the empty room. A trail of saliva pooled onto her pillow, which prompted you to gently close her mouth. The snores subsided as a result. Draping the comforter over her, you took your leave and followed the directions Winston gave you earlier to the different debriefing rooms.

Wasn't there already people out for a mission? Why would they need to call more people to go out. Not only that, but why you? You weren't much use in battle. Unless everyone is using their fists, there wasn't much you could do. Hell, even if everyone had a sword or knife you could make use of that but not firearms.

You managed to find the debriefing room without fault. Angela an Winston were already there. Another figure you hadn't met before stood next to them, surrounding a figure.

"Ah! There you are, I hope you didn't have trouble getting here." Winston motioned you to take a place by the holographic table. The curves of it created a perfect circle, chairs wrapped around it evenly.

"N-No, sorry I was at the dorms so it took me a little bit to get here." You replied watching the holograms replay the same action over and over. An aircraft crashed over French territory. It seems to have landed in a more secluded area, however French military quickly scatter around the crash site. After a moment or two, though, they all seem to retreat just as fast as they appeared. Red markers in lesser numbers begin replacing them as they swarm the site, before it all disappears and returns to the jet tumbling through the air.

"Before radar and communications cut off, this is what we last received." Winston pointed to the replaying action. "From what we can guess, Talon took them to the nearest abandoned building. A farm house just miles away from Spanish borders. If we get them across, we can escort them back safely." Talon, the red markers make sense now. Even with the firepower the French Military have at their disposal, they wouldn't risk stirring the bee's nest. The Overwatch pair sent to retrieve another member or mercenary of the like was stranded and you were all called in to retrieve them.

"So us three will just go in? Doesn't that seem a little risky?" Angela spoke up, concern laced her normally carefree voice.

"If we managed to get in and get out without making noise it should be fine. I can provide cover while (L/N) finds us a way in. Of course, you tend to any injured once we get them out." The masked figure answered for Winston. The voice screamed familiarity but you simply couldn't place a finger on it. "I trust the kid to get us through this without issue." Kid? No way...

"Morrison?" All the heads turned at the name. You kept your eyes on the scarred face, covered by a visor.

"I don't go by that anymore, kid. Soldier:76 is my name now." He corrected you politely. But you were still trying to recover from the shock of staring at a dead man in front of you. Winston and Angela seemed to pay no mind to the ghost they stood by.

"I thought you were dead, sir." You whispered, still taking in his grayed hair and stress lines across his forehead.

"Everyone thought I was dead. Jack Morrison is buried back in the States, actually, so there's no need to call me sir anymore." He replied before turning to the hologram, enlarging the map and pulling up the model of the abandoned farm house mentioning earlier. "Sorry to cut the reunion short, but we got a mission to prep for." You forced your eyes back to the screen. You felt Angela's hand place itself on your shoulder, giving you a gentle squeeze.

 

"So everyone know's what they're doing?" Winston asked the three of you. You all nodded before Winston dismissed you. Mercy and 76 went to their respected lockers by the hangars to get ready, while you stood with Winston who was going to pilot all of you there. You managed to calm yourself of your thoughts about Morrison in order to focus long enough to get your orders.

"Oh I almost forgot!" Winston motioned you to follow him to a locker, your name already displayed on the screen above. "This will be yours to fill however you want. I had a standard combat suit brought out until we make yours to fit your style of operations. Everyone's is custom made, Athena will help you design them before they get processed." Winston pulled out a black body suit before handing you the long sleeve Kevlar shirt. The pants were just simple cargos, the black matched the body suit perfectly. Taking the items, he showed you all the extra harnesses and holsters inside the locker to fit on afterwards. Giving him a quick thanks, he left to leave you changing into the new outfit.

You turned to mercy, who already had her body suit on. She was fitting a white and amber torso piece over the suit. A pair of wings sat delicately on the bench behind her. You turned to your own clothes, before beginning to strip down and fit into them.

 

You all began to walk up the ramp of the carrier. Winston waited in the cockpit as you all found your seats. Morrison just wore a dirty and torn red, white, and blue leather jacket over what he had earlier. He had carried with him a pulse rifle, something similar to what he used before the fall. You recognize the model was of older generations, so the possibility of it being the same one wasn't too far off. Angela, however, seemed to be the complete opposite. Her combat suit was pristine, the armor hugging her tightly. Her body suit actually reached up behind her head, covering the undercut you had seen earlier on your tour. Her angelic theme seemed fitting with her halo adorning her head. The wings rested beside her, though. The seat would be made uncomfortable otherwise. Her caduceus staff leaned against the wall next to her.

Either way, both their combat suits seemed way more put together than the simple black stealth suit you were given. straps crossed your back and around your arms to hold together the Kevlar better. It even reached down to hold up your belt, which broke off into more straps wrapping around your thighs. replacing the pistol holsters with knife holsters made you more comfortable with the suit. the straps provided more room for you to place the holsters. Even within your combat boots, blades were stored away.

The three of you decided to go through the plan during the length of the flight. Soon, you would all be deployed to rescue the group. You have yet to be informed on who exactly they were, but you were too absorbed into the planning to ask.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys ship Junkrat and Symmetra i suggest you check out this amazing fic of you havent already!!!  
> Its by Vargrimar and called 'Your Body Is a Weapon'  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/7072693/chapters/16076629


	7. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: slight gore + blood

"Tango sighted, east side of the house. Marking him."

By now it was dark. You held onto night vision goggles as you called out all the Talon members posted outside. With each member spotted, you placed way points with your goggles for the other two to see them. Morrison and Angela waited patiently behind as you slowly made your way to the house. Bushes and trees provided excellent cover until the foliage began to give way to the empty field. Thick forest surrounded the house, but it sat right in the middle of an empty field which gave you less to work with.

"Once the southern tango walks back around, I'm making a break for the cellar doors." You called out, which left Morrison to give you the OK.

Patiently, you waited for the talon agent to break away from his post to talk to the other agent. You can hear the distant chatter and took it as your cue to run across the opening.

With ease, the cellar doors opened. But not without creaking loudly. You stopped half way in to decide what action to take. Quickly, you climbed back out and ran to the corner closest to the two agents. Hugging the wall, you waited.

"I'm not hearing things! It was back here, come check it out with me." One agent spoke to the other. You hear him reluctantly follow the first one. "I'm serious what if this place is haunted. Ghosts are real, dude." The first one rounded the corner, facing you.

"What the fu-" With fierce speed, you struck his throat. The man instantly threw his hands over his fractured larynx. He collapsed struggling for air. 

"Darren?!" The second called. Before he could make anymore noise, you ran up using the wall as a boost to direct a kick right into his temple. He collapse without further struggle. You dragged both bodies behind a few bushes that hugged the walls around the home.

"Two tangos down. Proceeding." You called out.

"Be careful, we don't know what's in the house." Morrison called back. The earpiece's static cut off when he closed his line to hear you.

"Of course, sir." You opened the cellar doors again, this time without worry of attracting any attention.

"Enough with the 'sir', (L/N)." Morrison commanded. You simply let out a quiet snort. It's going to take a while to get used to not calling him "sir".

 

The basement showed no signs of life. Spiderwebs and dust flourished below, you didn't even need a light to see it. You fitted your goggles back on to navigate the lower floor. Finding the stairs was no problem, but checking for anybody on the other side of the door was a challenge. You hugged the door, listening intently. Any shuffling or creaks in the wood would indicate life on the other side. After a few moments of what felt like forever, you deemed it safe to enter. This was bringing back the experience of many missions prior to the fall. Any time not spent undercover was spent infiltrating like this. Whether if it was for intel or hostages, you were the one on it.

Taking a look around, you find the door led to the living room from under the staircase. A pair of Talon agents sat on the couch, playing on their phones.

"How the heck did you take out my ship?! I just buffed it!" A man called out to a smaller figure.

"Admit it, I'm just better than you at this game." A feminine voice called back. You crouched low against the wooden floors. Using the cover of the couch, you opened up a tape recorder. You clicked the red marker on the screen to begin recording. 

"Over my dead body! As if I'd let a girl be better than me at this game!" 

"Dude, that was really sexist." 

"What? No it wasn't!"

"It totally was! You are saying I cant play this game because I'm a girl!" 

"Whatever! I won't let you beat me!"

They continued to converse and play before you hit stop on your device. You placed it on the floor for now, before bringing out one of your sleek silver blades.

Without hesitation, you brought the knife through smooth skin on the man's throat. Before he was even able to gargle, you slapped a hand over the woman who promptly screamed into your palm.

"Where's the hostages?" You asked. Her eyes became rabid, searching for any form of escape. Your knife on her throat kept her at bay for now.

"Are you gonna answer or do I have to go through everyone in this house, starting with you, to find out?" You asked again. You began to hear muffling and took it as a sign she was going to tell you. She sucked in a breath, closing her eyes in defeat. The blade still pushed against her pale skin.

"Second floor master bedroom." You took a moment to watch her facial cues. Any sign of lying, but found none.

"Thank you." With ease, you slapped a hand over her mouth again and cut into her skin like butter. Red poured out and stained her white t-shirt. Betrayal was the last thing you saw in her eyes before they faded away. A look you were immune to at this point.

"Did you have to do that? She gave you what you needed." Morrison questioned. The goggles relayed whatever you saw, even with it folded up and out of your way.

"She's Talon. If I didn't do it she was going to do it to who knows how many innocent people." You picked up the recorder and brought it around the couch and played it back on loop.

" _Dude, that was really sexist."_

_"What? No it wasn't!"_

You fixed the bodies so they sat back up right. Placing their phones in their hands. The morbid image sufficed once you went back around, the rear view seemed a lot more realistic.

You started the walk upstairs, careful with your steps. Surprisingly, the second floor was completely clear. Not a single soul in sight, yet you could hear the upstairs fill with footsteps.

She could have lied to you, either she was good at hiding her emotions or you are getting bad at reading people. Cautiously, you checked the doors in search of the master bedroom. Each room you passed proved to be empty. Something's wrong, they wouldn't leave an entire floor unintended like this.

"76, you seeing this?" You called into your comms unit.

"Yeah, it's all empty." He replied with worry.

Slowly, you turned the handle to the last room on the floor. A knife in hand and ready for anything, you flung the door open. What met you on the other side really disproved that whole "ready for anything" statement.

Three chairs sat right in the middle of the room. The bed and other furniture pushed towards the walls to make room. However, the chairs were empty. Rope was cut and torn and left dangling. Some of them fallen to the floor. Clearly, people were held here. And yet, where are they?

_click_

"Put your hands on the back of your head and slowly turn around." A deep voice commanded behind you. You followed his order, now facing him. "Woah, heh. Hey there pretty lady, what do you think you're doing here? Think you'd fool me with this huh." His tone shifted. Malignancy laced his voice. His eyes scanning you with no shame or regard for you. He held up the recording device, now stopped and void of sound.

"Bought some time, didn't it?" You answered trying to lighten your own disgust of the man in front of you. Savagery plaguing his eyes. He took a step closer, licking his lips.

"You gonna tell me what you're doing here, little lady?" He asked leaning in. You began to equally push your head backwards as the foul stench of his breath hit your nose.

 

"Umm, car trouble?"

 

Before he could reply, the sound of metal on flesh sliced the air reaching your eardrums along with an almost undetectable trace of emerald. For a moment, you wondered if he brought a knife onto you instead of just shooting the gun in his hand. However, his collapsing answered your question.

Behind where your perpetrator stood, an omnic-like figure stood with an arm stretched out. He held onto wakizashi, the short blade dripped with the crimson fluid. He made to stand up right, vials quickly stuck out of him before hissing with steam. Just as they came, they sucked back in leaving a bright green glow. His visor shown an equally glaring color of light. Slowly he turned his head to you. Your breath caught in your throat, you couldn't tell if he was friend or foe. You had hoped it was the former.

"(Y/N)..." 

Your heart stopped. You could feel your temperature drop instantly. The color draining from your face and blood pooling into your stomach. Your heart began to kick start with a force, the pressure pushing against your sternum threatening to burst. Your eyes traveled along the body of the mystery figure. Nothing is familiar, this is not him. Nothing belongs to him. That voice is borrowed, simply your mind forcing you to recognize something that's not there.

"You look as beautiful as ever."

You took a step back. Your shoulders hit the wall, unknowingly providing a support you didn't ask for. No, he's dead. He's been dead for ten years. Your pulse deafening inside your ears. The only warmth on your body began to travel to your eyes.

"Wh-Who are you?" Your voice was barely a whisper. You couldn't even hear it yourself. Your heavy breathing took a pause to hear his answer.

" _I promised forever, so I will give you forever."_ The Japanese rolled off what you assumed was his tongue behind the helm. His voice confirmed every suspicion you had. His deep and entrancing voice was muffled with electronics, but it was him. It was his voice. Your breathing picked up again, tears no longer holding themselves back. Your fists balled up, creating crescents into your palms. Your stomach began work its way up as you held onto the wall. Your legs shaking terribly underneath you, a breeze could knock you down at this point.

"No... No. No No No" You began to repeat to yourself as you turned your head away, prying your eyes off him. Every memory of crying yourself to sleep, all the daily reminders of his laugh, smile, even the color green was almost unbearable for the first few months. But for ten years, your mourned. Dreams haunted your sleep. The good ones always came with nightmares. How ever happy you woke up one morning, would result in you jolting awake the next night from nightmares a hundred times more terrifying.

He reached for your arm, attempting to steady you. But before he could touch you, you flung yourself away from him in an attempt to avoid contact. But the forced ended up bringing you to the floor.

"Is this some sick joke! DO YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?!" You began to shout, no longer worrying about Talon agents littering the place.

"It's me, (Y/N). I never died." The figure crouched in front of you, bringing an arm up. You simply shuffled backwards down the hall.

"You never died? No. I don't believe it. He would never leave me like that for ten years. Ten fucking years." Your voice was brought back down, the anger boiled within your veins feigned calmness in your demeanor. 

"I am so sorry, (Y/N). I was foolish and vain, I thought you wouldn't want to see me like this." He stopped his attempts to touch you, only speaking to you with ease.

You continued to breathe heavily with a pulsating heart. Your vision was darkening, stars forming on the rim of your sight.

Before you lost your consciousness, steps began to flood the stairs coming from the third floor. Simultaneously, the front door burst open with Angela and Morrison calling your name.

"What happened?!" The voices behind you swarmed where you lay. Two accented voices, a male and a female began throwing incomprehensible questions at the man in front of you. Soon, they were paired up with your two teammates.

"...(Y/N)... hear me?" Stars faded over your sight, voices mashed together. The last thing you saw was familiar blonde hair.

"....hypervent...." The voices now disappearing to the void.

 

"Genji?"

 

You called out before being engulfed in darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ohmysggoshshshdshhs  
> I hope i didnt mess this meeting up  
> I built up so many chapters for this and I seriously hope you guys like it.  
> Let me know in the comments what you think!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I hope you enjoy!

_You lay in the grass of the northern lawn of the Shimada Castle. The freshly cut vegetation left a sweet scent that surrounded your spread_ _appendages. Your view consisted of a large, bushy tree which shaded you. Stay rays of light broke through between branches and leaves, leaving their after images behind your eyelids every time you blinked. You watched the breeze gently sway each branch, entrancing you in a sort of hypnosis. Birds danced along with the wind, their songs provided the music. You squeezed your hands along the grass under you as you took in a deep, slow breath._

_In a beat of frustration, you let out the air through your nose. Sitting up, you checked your phone which lay beside you._

_'An hour and a half, is he serious?', You thought to yourself. Grunting exaggeratedly, you forced your hands onto the ground to give yourself a boost to your feet. You patted away any stubborn blades of grass that stuck to your clothes._

_You made your way through the intricate halls of the estate. Greeting the servants who walked by and bowed to any significant members on the way. Portraits of the previous heads of the house and their families adorned the walls. The eldest of the pictures were in crisp black and white, while the most recent were life-like holograms that stuck inwards. It gives the illusion of peering into a room of each Shimada member: Eito stood straight stoicism being his only expression while his wife took a seat in front of him. Her long black hair curved over her shoulders and dangled weightlessly across her back. Even with such pristine posture and seriousness of the couple, their two young boys were seen in repeating action of the hologram to be messing with each other to ruin the moment. Hanzo would sit with a smile, missing tooth yet proud, before turning his sights on his younger brother. A chubby finger found its mark on Genji's cheek and executed the attack with no hesitation. The youngest ended up swallowing the finger with the fat of his face before turning to retaliate. His small fists made a fruitless effort to hit the elder in the face, but ended up struggling under his own power and missed. He continued to pound his knuckles against Hanzo's arm before returning to his previous position, finding no purpose in continuing. Once returning to his proper stance, his smile returned with more teeth missing than there are present. Once again, the actions repeated in a never ending cycle of poking and punches._

_You continued your journey through the castle, your destination seemly displayed like a map within your mind. You already began rehearsing your dialogue in your head, how angry you were going to sound and what retaliations you were going to make if he had any. You legs picked up the pace under you as you neared his room. Anger building up with each step._

_Finally, Genji's door stood in front of you. Taking one more breath of concentration, you began to knock furiously against the wood._

_"Open up, Genji! I swear if you think you can ditch me you are unbelievably wrong!" You shouted without slowing on the pounding. "Don't make me kick down this door!" You yelled after moments of silence. You tried opening the door, finding it was locked. After a few weeks of training, you slowly became comfortable with dropping the employee/employer act between you two. Fights and even slight moments of bonding led to the both of you being more friendly rather than only having a relationship based on him being your boss._

_"Go away!" You heard a muffled voice, husky from the early morning. Your knocks faltered for a moment, eyebrows kneading together in questioning anger._

_"Did you just tell me to go away? Genji, I will kick your ass to the next month-" You paused. Your throat dried up and your heart fell down into your stomach. Slowly, you turned your head to your right. A sleek black suit and red tie stood in front of you, posture unfaltering. Your eyes widened in realization, fear beginning to spill into your veins. Quickly, you brought your head down in a respectful bow and lowered your voice._

_"I'm so sorry, sir! I didn't mean to be disrespectful, he just never showed up to practice-" Before you could finish, a hand invaded your vision. Veins and brown age spots were prominent on the back. You stared at the hand while bowing. For a moment you were confused, but all questions were settled when the hand opened to reveal a silver key._

_"I understand, dear. Shape him into the man a Shimada should be." Eito's smooth voice assured you. You brought your head up, your eyes met a sweet smile on the elder's face. He continued to hold out the key in front of you. "And please do kick his ass into the next month, maybe that'll teach the brat some manners." A smile stole it's place onto your lips. Eito let out a chuckle as you reached for the key, his demeanor being immature and mischievous allowed you to feel comfortable enough to join his laughter._

_"Thank you, sir." Once wishing you good luck, he made his way down the hall as quickly as he came. As soon as he left your sights, you turned to the door once more._

_"Genji, I'm giving you one last chance to open this door." Calmness replaced rage, your voice low and forgiving._

_"Let me sleep! You're so annoying!" You shut your eyes in second thought, turning your head away from the door. Should his death be slow? Although if you make a mess you would end up having to clean it up, but something too quick to feel the pain is way too merciful._

_You filled your lungs with air, releasing it in slow succession. Gathering yourself in an effort to calm the fire beneath your skin. You brought your hand up, eyeing the key one last time before putting it to use._

_The click of each pin releasing within the mechanism of the lock was the only noise your ears decided to pick up. Each one opened, allowing the body of the key to turn the bolt away. Metal struck the inner workings of the door, cuing the door was now open to whoever. Pulling the key out of the lock, you pocketed it before turning your own hand on the sleek silver of the handle. The L shape protruded without a scratch, shining between your fingers. The cold metal did nothing to cool the anger burning inside, however. You turned the handle, a satisfying click sounded and you pushed the door inward._

_"If you don't get out of this bed in the next 5 seconds I will drag you out by your nostrils." Your voice continued to be a low hum. You stood at the doorway, light flooded around your own silhouette creating a menacing shadow across the dark room._

_You noticed rustling under the sheets, a poor effort to block your voice out._

_"I'm tired! Close the door it's too bright..." He whimpered under the covers. His figure seemingly large as he continued to rustle._

_"Just because you decided to go out last night doesn't mean I'm giving you a break! It's your fault you can't get up!" You walked up to his bed, pausing for a moment to see if he would reveal himself. Evidently, the moment passed and you grabbed a fistful of the comforter. You planted your feet into the floor, preparing for the momentum. You pulled with all your might, throwing the blanket on the floor._

_However, the sight before you urged you to pick the blanket back up and throw it back on._

_"Come on, lady. Let us sleep." A girl of quite the figure was sprawled across the mattress, only a large black t-shirt covering her at this point. Genji shifted next to her, he flipped from his stomach onto his back. His missing shirt gave your eyes full access to his body. Each ridge, dip, and crevice of muscle rose and fell with each breath. He forced his head to face you, raising a sculpted arm to shield his eyes from the light._

_"(Y/N), can I just get today please? My head is pounding." His voice continued to expose his exhaustion, his vocal cords strained under the pressure. The rasp on his tongue replaced the usually smooth tone he used to sweet talk you._

_Your cheeks and ears felt a different kind of heat, anger was replaced by something else. Not quite embarrassment yet not affection either._

_"This is what you ditched practice for?" Your voiced lined with unintentional venom. You realized soon afterwards how the statement sounded._

_"Hey! Obviously I had something more to offer if he'd rather spend his morning with me." The girl retorted, Slowly she picked herself up to turn to you. Her eyes squinted with the light and black hair falling in front of her face, but even so she dared to look you up and down in scrutiny. "Oh, hmph. Well I can see now he wasn't missing out on much."_

_Your eyebrows sewed together, your head thrown back slightly at the insult. Your mouth left agape, but nothing comes to mind in any form of rebuttal._

_"I'd watch that mouth if I were you." Genji suddenly cut in. Your eyes returned to his figure. He sat up effortlessly, the muscles around his hips and lower abs strained with the movement. He reached for a bottle on his nightstand, the label reading 'Relieves pain and fevers quicker than any other leading brand!' His headache must be worsening with the commotion. "She can rearrange that pretty face of yours without batting an eye." The girl's smug expression was replaced by disgust in an instant._

_"As if! My father is a world renowned martial arts champion! He's taught judo, aikido, and karate. I've been trained to be his successor since I learned how to walk!" Genji rose as he let the girl rant. He picked up a shirt from a nearby chair and rolled it down his torso. You watched his back muscles tweak with each movement. "Some little girl like her is nothing to me!" He left his sweats on as he reached for the floor, picking up a pair of skinny jeans you knew weren't his._

_"You done?" Genji reached out with the pants in his hands in front of the girl. She looked from him to you, her face reddening with each moment._

_"Are you serious? Did you even listen to me!" The girl rose to her feet. She ripped the pants from his grip, to which he simply turned and headed towards your direction._

_"Every word, but I'll still bet on her to kick your ass." Your face contorted to hide amusement, you even began snorting in an effort to hold in laughter. She wrinkled her nose and stuttered out noises trying to prove herself. "I'm gonna catch some breakfast, you in?" He asked once reaching you._

_"Yeah, whatever. You aren't getting out of practice though." You replied. Before the both of you could leave the room, however, your body froze time around you. Your spine sent shivers throughout your body signaling imminent danger. Your eyes darted quickly to your side, watching in what feels like slow motion as a fist cuts through the air straight for your temple._

_Before contact could be made, your back angled itself backwards. Leaving your head leaning as far back as it could without contorting your neck. The arm darts straight in front of your vision and back just as quickly as it came. Before you could process exactly what's happening, a foot brought itself towards your head. You simply ducked down as it swung over your body. You got back up before any other action could be taken, so you watched as another fist flew straight for your nose. You tilted your head to the right, giving room for the arm to fly past your ear. In the moment of it freezing next to you, your own hand wrapped around the wrist. Quickly, you pulled the body it was attached to inwards and twisted your own so they hit your back. The moment their stomach hit your spine, a grunt sounded next to your ear. In one swift movement, you brought the arm down in front of you and curled your back. The body flung effortlessly over you and hit the ground with a deafening thud. Another squeal of pain was released, so you let go of their arm._

_"Phew! Almost got me there!" You dusted your hands off on your pants. The girl who attacked you was left laying on the floor in defeat, every so often moaning in displeasure. You looked up at Genji who simply had his eyebrows raised at the girl. An impressed look adorned his features, but nothing of surprise came from him. He was leaning against the door frame, hands in his pockets as the ordeal went on. "Alright can we go eat now?" You asked, stepping over the girl._

_"Of course, I'm starving." Genji turned to leave, but you paused at the door._

_"By the way miss, I'll have one of the drivers come by and take you home. It wouldn't be very polite of us to leave such a defenseless girl walk home alone." Genji snorted ahead of you. The girl mumbled curses and insults your way as you walked down the hall with your own content expression.  
_

_"Finally someone other than me got beat up by you." Genji spoke next to you. You walked beside each other as you made your way to the dining hall._

_"Believe me, you're still going to get beat up." You assured. You looked up at the taller figure next to you. His lips tilted upwards, the tightness of his skin allowed just the shadow of his dimple to show. Your eyes began to trail lower, however. You watched as his jawline shifted and clenched with each movement of his cheeks and jaw. Even with each word you couldn't hear, you could see the sharpness of his jawline refuse to falter. Going back up, his jet black hair was seemingly disheveled from him just recently getting up. His hair was usually styled upwards and back, a quiff always stationed in front._

_After a few moments, he turned to you. His eyes met yours. You always thought they were black, but here they are. Dark gray against your own hues. They even had a metallic tint to them, as if they were made from steel itself. You watched him continue to talk, but nothing reached your ears._

_"...(Y/N)? You alright?" The waving of his hand snapped you out of all your thoughts. The same heat from earlier rose to your face._

_"What? Sorry I zoned out..." You excused yourself. You kept your eyes forward this time._

_"I was asking if you wanted to go to that ramen shop down the street instead of eating here." The image of the alien holding up a bowl of ramen filled your mind's eye, Rikimaru had the best noodles in all of Hanamura. Turning down an offer like this is like refusing the lottery._

_"Only if you're paying." You tried keeping your cool, you didn't want him to know your weakness for Rikimaru. He let out a short chuckle before nodding._

_"Of course. Wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me, now would it?" He wiggled his eyebrows at you mockingly. You waved his face away before answering._

_"Since when are you a gentleman?" The both of you continued your walk to the front gate._

_"What are you talking about! I'm always a gentleman." You let out an exaggerated snort._

_"Let me rephrase that, since when are you genuinely a gentleman without pulling the act to get in bed with someone?" You emphasized 'genuinely' as you replied._

_"What!? As if!" He feigned insult, throwing his hand over his heart. "I'm always genuine when I'm being a gentleman with you. I learned the hard way I gotta use my other charms to win you over." You raised a brow in a quizzical manner._

_"You're still on that?" You asked him with exasperation. "I see you're new tactics are doing so well, bringing girls home for me to find." You continued with sarcasm._

_"And beat up."_

_"You're not helping your case!" You let out a laugh. The both of you reached the gates. Genji gave a quick nod to the guards posted at the doors. They took the cue to open the wooden barriers, allowing you two to leave._

 

_The both of you conversed as you walked together down the street. The heat beat down on you, your athletic tank top and leggings did help to ease the skin. The fibers did what was advertised and cooled the skin it touched. Genji, however, was visibly straining under the sun. He was wearing a gray t-shirt that hugged tightly. His black sweat pants accumulated any heat that entered, slowly cooking the lower half of his body. Sweat formed along his temple and forehead, even down his neck. His breath sounded more labored as you two spoke. You were beginning to feel bad for choosing to walk, even though it was a few minutes away, the summer heat showed no remorse as it beat down against the earth._

_"Oh my God, finally!" He let out as Rikimaru Ramen Shop came into view. Your worries put to ease, refreshments were just a few steps away._

 

_The both of you sat in front of the counter. You greeted the little old man who runs the shop and even conversed a bit as he got both orders together. You had slowly grown to know the man personally because of how often you visit. You knew each of his grandchildren by name, their faces popping up in their mind as you asked him about them. He told a few stories and mentioned how big they were as you and Genji ate. The shop wasn't as busy as usual, so there was no rush in the conversation._

_The two of you continued to listen to the elder as he spoke about his family. Your smile grew with each story and mention of their well being. Genji's attention began to slowly drift towards you instead of the old man, however. He watched as you stared entranced by the old man's stories, even missing the noodles a few times before finally bringing them to your mouth. With every joke, you would bring your hand up to cover your mouth and let out a laugh. He watched your hair bob with each thrust of the chuckling, you would bring a hand over to push it back in place. He noticed how your eyes would crinkle as your smile grew, especially with each chuckle. He became so distracted, he simply left his chopsticks hovering over his bowl. No longer feeling as famished as when he came, he was left with admiring your joyful expression. Through the time you two have spent together, he never saw you truly let go like this. It was all work and no play. The old man continued to make you laugh, which left his lips turning upwards in a smile he didn't even realize he was revealing. The only thing he was listening to was the snort of your laughter and the squeal of each wheeze. Your laugh was different, it wasn't like those he usually hears when he tells a cheesy joke or two to the girls at the club. Their laughter is practiced, executed with an exact science for attraction. Yours was natural. It was you. Even the way your nose scrunched in, how you would kick your legs forward into the counter. There was no holding back, no artificial joy. This is what he's trying to win over._

_"Oh! Genji are you finished? I'm so sorry I was so distracted I stopped eating, I'll finish in a sec." You turned to him, he watched as you eyed his bowl. You noticed he stopped eating, to which you assumed he finished._

_"I'll let you eat now, miss (Y/N). It was very nice catching up with you." The old man flashed you a smile, his teeth worth and stained with the years but still just as happy as ever. You thanked him and continued to eat. Genji picked up his own utensils and began to finish his bowl._

_The two of you continued in silence, each focused on your own bowls. Your mind wandered to earlier, the shirtless image of Genji surfaced. You seemed to speed up the consumption of the ramen in an effort to distract yourself. Genji however, let the moments of your laughter continue to replay in his mind. Of course, his attraction to you is purely physical. He never hid this. In fact, you struggled with keeping his flirting to a minimum during training. But the video playing in his thoughts of your chuckles and wheezes pulls up a question: Why laughter? He never found any of the girls more memorable past the night they spend together, but here you are. A never ending loop of catching your breath to let out another laughing fit seconds later._

_"Alright, I finished." You cut off his thoughts with a clatter of the chopsticks next to your bowl. Genji looked down to realize his own was empty as well. "You ready to go?"_

_"Y-Yeah." You noticed Genji wasn't completely here yet. His thoughts took him somewhere far, he was barely getting back now._

 

_The two of you walked back home in peaceful silence. The scenery surrounding you was beautiful, trees flowed with the wind. Their shaking leavings rustled throughout the air, completely covering the noise of hover cars and machinery. The both of you can already see the Shimada castle gates. Twin dragons circling each other centered the two doors. The closer you got the more details began to reveal themselves._

_"Welcome back, sir." One of the guards posted at the gates greeted Genji. Who then returned the gesture with a nod. The gates opened and the both of you entered without even slowing down._

 

_"So for the second date, you should wear something nicer."  Genji suddenly expressed. You tripped over your own steps in surprise, but you managed to catch yourself before falling._

_"Second date? We never had a first!" You retorted. Genji spun on his heels to face you. Your face crinkled with confusion._

_"We just went on our first date! I took you out to eat." Genji held his signature smirk. Your mouth was left open, still struggling to understand the situation._

_"That was ramen! No wonder you just have one night stands! You don't know how to take a girl out!" You flung your arms in the air for emphasis, Genji continued to eye you with his dumb smile, his dumb dimples showing. You just wanted to slap his dumb face to rid of his dumb expression. Yeah, he's dumb._

_"Get ready for date number 2, sweetheart."  He turned to walk away, leaving you to stare at his back. The muscles even daring to show through his shirt. Taking a peek lower, his hips swayed with each step. His tail proving to be a wondrous view in those sweat pants. "And make sure to take a picture it'll last longer." Your face instantly grew a hundred degrees hotter. Your confusion replaced with an expressionless void. He wasn't even looking at you!_

_"Sorry I wouldn't want to break my camera!" You yelled across the courtyard in an effort to throw the embarrassment back._

_"You're right, not even a picture cold hold all this in!" He shouted from the main house entrance. He took a moment to gesture to himself, leaving you boiling with rage and embarrassment._

_"Whatever... He's stupid." You whispered to yourself before turning on your own heel. You began to walk back to the dorms to change. Despite still having to train, your ego decided to give you and Genji a break for the day._

 

_But before you could take any step forward, a smell hit you so hard your vision faltered. The stench was so strong your body jolted in surprise. Suddenly, the space around you warped. You looked down at yourself to see you're wearing completely different clothes, a standard all black combat uniform._

 

Suddenly, you jolted upwards. You took a moment to look around you, Angela held your head in her lap as she pulled away smelling salts from your nose. A lingering stench continued to haunt your olfactory.

"(Y/N)! Can you hear me? Do you know where you are?" Angela began asking you a thread of questions, a new one before you could even answer the previous.

You looked around, Morrison stood towards your right and kept his visor on you. Looking towards your left, a man and woman stood at a distance. The Blonde beard you recognized as Torbjörn, while the woman remained a stranger in your eyes. Black hair was cut at her shoulders, while twin braids twisted into metal clasps towards her front. She wore black cargo pants with a black t-shirt. The collar extending upwards, much like Angela's body suit, and ended behind her ears and at her jawline. However, her most prominent feature seems to be the tattoo below the left eye. It's Egyptian, isn't it? Ra? Horus?

"How long was I out?" You finally spoke. Breaths were released around you, it seems each member around you were worried.

"Just a few minutes. Can you walk?" Angela asked as she helped you sit up. You looked around, searching for the missing member.

"Yeah, can you just help me up please?" You asked quietly and reluctantly. You simply fainted, it seems foolish to ask for help.

"Of course, dear." Angela rose from her seat on the ground and took a hold of your outstretched arm. Taking you by the hand and elbow, she pulled you onto your feet. You wobbled for a moment. The blood still rushing throughout your body and into your legs.

"We better get going, we cleared the house but it'll be a quick moment before the rest of the herd shows up." Torbjörn spoke up as you took a few steps. You nodded in agreement to which Angela held onto you to help you walk. You felt it wasn't necessary anymore, but you didn't want to dismiss her kind intentions.

All of you managed to get out of the house with ease. Morrison took point to lead the group to the jet awaiting in the brush. None of you said anything on the way over, Angela continued to hold onto you until you got to the hangar doors. She finally released you so she could rush in and set up monitors to check your vitals.

"(L/N), sit up front with me. Doc needs to check you out." You nodded without word, following the old soldier up the ramp and into the plane.

You looked down at your feet, you were no longer wearing your sneakers and leggings. The weather was on the colder side, rather than the summer heat. You even felt hungry for the memory of Rikimaru ramen. It's been a decade since you last had their noodles.

You took the final step into the jet, for a moment you lost Morrison. You looked around for a moment and figured to just head towards the cockpit. However, before you could turn your body back, you caught the sight of silver and green.

There he stood, the man you have yet to truly believe is alive.

Genji stood at the back of the jet, holding onto one of the handles fashioned above. Even through his visor, you could clearly sense his eyes peering into you. Inspecting every inch of your body. Not in the way of the man earlier, no. There was no sexual intentions in the way he examined you. Equally, you dragged your eyes across his figure. Metal plates were fixed across his chest, while pale armor was covering the majority of his appendages. Kanji was centered on his torso, Bushin. God of War.

As you examined him, the heat returned to your eyes. You lip quivered slightly, yet you refused to take your eyes away. 10 years of believing he was dead, you earned the right to continue to scrutinize. 

But once you caught sight of the ribbon attached to his helm, tattered and worn, you couldn't hold back anymore. Silently, tears fell. They trailed down your cheeks and into the collar of your kevlar shirt. It really is him, that ribbon belongs to no one else.

Cautiously, he released the handle and took a step forward. You simply watched as he brought his foot forward, metal clanking against metal. However, before he could reach you, your attention was stolen elsewhere.

"(Y/N)." Angela called behind you. Twisting your head, she caught sight of your tear stained face and looked back at Genji. She motioned you to head over to here, to which you complied. Once you reached her, she sat you at one of many seats that lined the jet walls. Machinery and monitors blocked your view from the rest of the cabin, so Genji no longer held you in your sights and vice versa. In a moment of curiosity, you looked up at Angela who had her head turned away from you. Almost undetectable, she quickly nodded her head in a disapproving manner. Your eyebrows kneaded together as you realized she was looking at Genji. She turned back to you, catching your gaze. Her eyes widened slightly, being caught in the act. Your face still contorted in confusion, but she simply cleared her throat and began working to attach the many wires and sensors to your body.

Angela soon left you to your thoughts once she finished hooking everything up. To your left, Winston and Morrison were in the cockpit piloting the plane. To your right, monitors beeped and whirred with action. They displayed your vitals in a confusing display of graphs, numbers, and lines. Of course, since you simply fainted, they didn't show anything out of the ordinary. Angela decided to go the extra mile and make sure you really were okay.

Angela. The image of her nodding her head 'no' kept replaying. You'd understand if she simply didn't want you to get more upset by talking with Genji, but the way she reacted with how you  _caught_ her is bothering you. She didn't even bother with an explanation. It just doesn't even make sense. Actually, none of this make sense. Before you even went in on this mission, they never spoke of who exactly you were rescuing. It's almost unheard of going on a hostage rescue and not knowing who you're rescuing.

"Strap in, we're descending." Winston called from the front. You already kept your harness attached so there was no struggle to put it on later over all the wires protruding from you.

 

The jet landed with ease. Torbjörn and Pharah, you learned her name on the flight, walked out first. People greeted them joyously. Winston and Morrison were the next to leave as you watched Angela detach everything from you. From your seat, you could see the door clearly. Yet, Genji has yet to make his leave yet. Commotion outside slowly shifted to asking where the remaining three are.

"Take it easy for the rest of the day, I'll come by your room with dinner since we ended up missing it during the mission." Angela spoke to you with ease, but has yet to make eye contact.

"Angela?" You spoke with a broken voice. Finally she was able to look up at you.

"Yes?" 

"You all knew him, right?" You asked, voice shaken and eyes watering. "He's not just some mercenary for hire? You all knew him. Pharah, she said she was raised with Overwatch, but she was never apart of it. So she's the new member. Which leaves Genji and Torbjörn as the Recall agents sent to retrieve her. Did... Did you all know who he was 10 years ago? W-Why didn't I know about him?" You enunciated this time with a struggling voice. Angela paused her work for a moment, thinking of an answer. 

"Now is not a good time for this, dear." Was all she was able to give you.

She unstrapped the harness across your chest and let you to pick yourself up. Upon watching you get up and walk by yourself, she let you go first. Excusing her delay with having to put away monitors. Again, silently nodding approval before making your way to the hangar door. You shifted your view to the right, Genji stood at the end of the jet with his back turned to you. His head turned slightly, you could see the color from his visor peaking over his shoulder.

"There you are, love! You had me worried sick!" Lena bounced from the crowd outside to meet you halfway. "I woke up and McCree said you left for a mission! Ain't that ridiculous? We're here for 5 minutes and you get called out! I woulda complained me knickers right off if they called me in before even feeding me! So how was- (Y/N)? Were you crying?" Her tone went from hyperactive and joyful to low and concerned. You stared back blankly. Realizing your eyes were puffy from earlier events. "Love, you have no color, what happened?" She reached up a hand to brush away stray hairs. The crowd behind her now turning their attention to you and Lena. Even Reinhardt's bellowing voice shimmered down to a silence. 

"I'm going to go rest for a bit. I'll see you in the morning, Lena." You expressed monotonously before moving past the small girl. But your steps took a pause when a smooth, programmed voice spoke out from the crowd.

"Genji, I am glad to see you return safely." It seemed each original Overwatch member froze once the omnic called out the name. Breathing seemed to stop simultaneously, eyes were felt burning into your back. Slowly, you turned. Zenyatta seemed oblivious to the tension surrounding him as he walked over to the entrance of the jet ramp. Genji stood, bowing to the omnic before turning to you. Your body shifted all the way back around. You took a look around the faces of the crowd, each member of Overwatch awaited a reaction from you, while the newer members like Symmetra and Pharah looked around in confusion.

 

"Love, you should go back now. You really need the rest-" Lena gently placed her hands on your arms in an effort to escort you back.

"You knew." You cut her off, standing your ground. "All those years, I told you about him. Genji Shimada, he stole my heart and took it with him to the grave." Tears fell as you broke into an ironic smile. He really did steal your heart, through every obstacle you threw at him he completely ran the course without skipping a beat.

"It's not simply that, love-" Lena attempted to stutter out an answer, but you weren't having any of it.

"Don't call me that."

Lena pulled her hand back. She examined the way your smile was replaced with a straight line. Looking for any sign of you not meaning that, but she couldn't find any.

"(Y/N), please understand, there is so much more to this than you realize." Angela attempted to rescue Lena, offering you a vague explanation that didn't add up.

"More? What's more than him thinking I wouldn't want to see him like this! He told me why he pretended to be dead for 10 years! He thought I couldn't handle the way he looked!" You shouted. The crowd seemingly set in stone began to take turns looking at each other for explanation. Genji, however, stood his ground by the jet with Zenyatta at his side.

"That's what he told you?" Angela asked with a low hum. She turned to Lena who exchanged looks. You looked from both of them attempting to decipher their silent language.

 

"That's all she needs to know." 

 

Genji spoke over the distance, catching the attention of everyone surrounding. Tears stopped pouring, instead anger began to set in.

"All I need to know? All of you kept a decade old secret and I still don't deserve to know?" Your heart pounded between your ribs. The blood began to rush into every inch of your body, filling the adrenaline in every muscle. "Here you are, alive and I can't even know why you hid from me for 10 years, we worked under the same organization for Christ's sake! What kind of trouble did all of you have to go through to keep me in the dark? Is he the reason why I wasn't allowed here? Why Reyes and Morrison kept me so locked up in Blackwatch's tower?" Morrison shifted his gaze into the ground. Everyone else broke away from each other to watch as you spill out question after question.

"Please, trust us when we say it was for you're own good, darlin'." McCree suddenly cut in. His stance towards the front of the crowd was unfaltering. He stared at you through the brim of his hat, he no longer held his cigar in his mouth.

"Jesse? You too?" You whimpered. Betrayal filling your lungs. You continued in obvious hysteria,

"Yeah, 'trust us'. Of course, why not? I'll completely forget the 10 fucking years all of you kept me in the dark, I didn't even know half of you! Yet it was somehow everyone's place to think, 'Hey you know that lowly kid from Blackwatch division? Yeah that sad little charity case Reyes picked up! Make sure you make her life worse by making her believe the one person she gave her life to is dead! Great idea!'" You threw your hands into your hair in exasperation. Tears and hiccups returning with no remorse. You dropped to your knees, elbows on the ground and burying your face into your hands. You began to whimper and cry out in anger and frustration and rage and every other emotion you could think of. Foot steps could be heard next to you, but without even looking at who it was you lifted yourself up. Turning completely, you took large strides towards the dorms. You sniffled and wiped at your face with such force, your eyes saw stars when you removed your hands. But you didn't stop.

 

"(Y/N)!" Lena called from behind you. You didn't even slow down, you just kept walking. 

 

Lena knew this day would come, and yet through all her mental preparation she could have never prepared herself for the inevitable heartbreak.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay i'm going to be honest and say I don't really like how this chapter went, but I felt like I needed to get through this. I might end up changing it completely in the future. So, I'll let you know with the next updates if you have to go back to this one or not, hopefully nothing to drastic happens.
> 
> P.S. school is starting soon so just be prepared for longer waits in between chapters, I'm going to try to keep it consistent but you never know. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know in the comments what you think!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *mentions baked potatoes because a sweet soul gave this story 10/10 baked potatoes*  
> I hope you all enjoy!

It's been three days since your breakdown in front of the Overwatch team. Three days since you have talked to Lena, or anyone really for that matter. Three days without sleep. And yet, in those three days nothing has changed. You still struggle with your own thoughts, your own theories as to why such great lengths were taken to keep you and Genji apart. You were too angry with everyone, and even yourself to a certain degree, to elaborate on what really happened.

Exhaustion and sleep deprivation are now clear as day on your features. Your usually bright skin has lost it's shimmer. Stress lines appear within the purple under your eyes, your eyelids sag in an effort to conserve what ever energy is left. But it seems with each night that passes, your body refuses to rest. It forces you to stay awake and stare at the spinning ceiling fan as if your life depended on it. With each cycle, each hour, your thoughts wanders into the depths of your mind. The neurons firing a nightmare of memories, keeping you awake with all the mistakes you've made to lead up to the false demise of your lover. All the years you've missed out on his life, on your own life. You have dedicated everything to this organization, yet it only gave you despair in return.

Yet here you are, continuing your mission to do better for the world. You told yourself that despite everything that has happened, it was better for mankind if you stayed. Fighting the evils of society was worth more than the demons that haunted you.

So with this in mind, you forced yourself to the dining hall. It was around noon, so lunch was being served to those who weren't busy. You noticed members tended to skip out on this meal since missions were being conducted or independent work was getting done. You used this time as your breakfast and even sneaked in extra food to last you the night to skip dinner. Your figure began showing the obvious signs of malnutrition, but Athena hasn't made any notice of any upcoming missions for you so you didn't worry about your own health as much as you should be.

But the moment you closed your room door behind you to leave, it seems Lena was already on her way back from who knows where. The awkward encounter left you momentarily making eye contact, freezing you in place. She offered a shy smile, to which you returned with stoicism and silence. Although she gave up trying to talk to you earlier, she still made the effort to be civil. However, your own feelings of betrayal refused to allow anything close to politeness. But even with this sort of treatment, she was still worried for you. She still noticed the bags under your eyes and the way you walked with slump shoulders. The dragging of your feet along the tile floors caused her a pain you never intended to inflict. Although she promised herself to give you time, she couldn't watch you suffer without taking action anymore.

 

Reaching the large double doors, you pushed them inward and began making your way to the to the back of the room to pick up the already preserved meals. Choosing a more hefty meal to last the day, various meats and veggies piled high atop your tray, you turned to find whatever empty table was available.

You looked to see only a few faces were in the room: Symmetra, Reinhardt, Mei, and a new pair of members. Two days ago, oddities in the form of men arrived as mercenaries Winston hired. Both junkers seemed to arrive with a bang, literally. The drop ship that announced their arrival ended up setting ablaze shortly after they landed, so Torbjörn was left with repairing it as they toured the place. You kept your distance, especially since the much larger figure sent chills down your spine every time his mask peered your way. The smaller one in comparison didn't seem to mind the avoidance in your demeanor, he probably deals with it regularly if he doesn't take offense. But soon after you didn't feel too bad about avoiding, he seems to be attached to Symmetra, reluctantly. You would walk by their now shared workshop to find them bickering, but you noticed they would find moments to be civil with each other. You found it endearing, but your own personal feelings clouded the good thoughts their collaboration would bring.

Settling in one of the far tables, you sat your plate in front of you and already began to dig in without hesitation. You wouldn't admit it, but the snacks you brought to your room wasn't nearly enough to last you up until the next day. 

You poked and prodded your food with a silver fork, the meal seemingly disappearing too fast for your own good. Before you could even swallow what you had in your mouth, you reached for the glass of water next to you. Taking a swig, clattering of heels sounded in front of you. Paying no mind, you continued drinking until a tray plopped right in front of you. You paused for a moment, taking the glass away from your lips to take a look at who invaded your privacy.

You were met with long black hair, pushed back behind tan ears. A porcelain prosthetic and flesh hand sandwiched the plate in front of them as they took a seat. A smile greeted you as they picked up their fork and began picking at their food.

"Good afternoon, (Y/N). You seemed to be in need of company lately, I hope you don't mind me sitting here." Symmetra tilted her head in question as she continued to give you a heartwarming smile.

"I don't mind. I probably won't be much company, though." You offered in return. She simply waved your statement off. You didn't feel the need to avoid her the same way as everyone else, she wasn't in on this charade everyone else played.

"Your presence is company enough. Although I do prefer solitude, sometimes simply seeing another face is enough to keep me socialized." She began to delicately bring the food to her own mouth, the way she ate was even proper. She kept her elbows off the table, her back straight, and only picked up enough on her utensils to prevent spillage. You ate self consciously, now feeling your own posture was insulting to her. 

"Oi! You thinkin' of ditching me again?" A heavily accented voice shouted across the room, causing Symmetra to pause her motions. She let out a exasperated sigh before turning to face the culprit.

"Junkrat, I told you to stay with Roadhog. Please stop yelling, it's disruptive." She turned back around in a fit of defiance. Your eyes staying on the peg-legged man who hobbled over to the table. A blond head of singed hair kept his attention on the girl in front of you.

"Why don't we sit here then? Y'told me to make more friends right?" Junkrat turned to face you, reaching a gloved hand in your direction. "Junkrat, professional demolition expert, nice t'meet ya." You examined the glove, soot and stains adorned the cloth. Reluctantly, you raised a hand and he snatched it a little too hard for your taste. The grime surely would be present on your own palm.

"I wouldn't exactly call you an expert, nor professional." Symmetra chimed in.

"(Y/N) (L/N)." You introduced, to which he gave you a toothy smile before shaking your own hand. Upon releasing, you found that no dirt has made it to your own palm, but you wiped it discretely against your dark pants anyways.

"Hey, you the one everyone been making a fuss about, ain'tcha? So what happened, you and robocop got history?" You brought your eyes up to his in a fit of embarrassment. He simply returned the gaze with curiosity.

"Junkrat!" Symmetra cut in before you could answer. She slammed a flesh hand onto the table. "It's very rude to ask someone's business like that." She scolded. You continued to sit back and watch their bickering unfold.

"What? I ain't being rude about it if everyone here already knows. I'm just comin' straight to the source, you see?" He motioned back to you. Symmetra's features scrunched in disapproval.

"It's still none of your business, this is why I wanted you to stay back with Roadhog." She flung a hand in the direction of the potbellied man across the room. He sat patiently watching your table. His mask hiding any sort of emotion he could be displaying.

"Oh right! Forgot 'bout the big guy. OI! GET OVER HERE, MATE!" Junkrat shouted with no regard to who was next to him. Said man began to rise from his chair. Squeaking could be heard coming from the metal supporting the seat, barely able to handle his weight. Symmetra simply hid under the shade of her own palm, avoiding the little attention the room had to offer. Even with two other people, she seemed embarrassed with Junkrat's display.

Roadhog finally wobbled his way over, taking a seat next to you and across from Junkrat. The close proximity was extremely uncomfortable to you, but he didn't seem to notice. You could hear his breathing under his mask, the noise amplified with each respirator.

"This here my best mate, Roadhog. Seems like he could eat ya but don't worry, he already had lunch. Roadie, this (Y/N). " Junkrat introduced. You turned with every little bit of caution at the figure. Just like the man before him, he held out a large hand to shake.

"Don't tell her that! The man is intimidating enough as it is, you shouldn't be spreading that type of misinformation." Symmetra began reprimanding. During another one of their back-and-forths, you reached out a much smaller hand and fit it as best you can within the palm of Roadhog. He wrapped chubby fingers around your entire fist, engulfing it with little effort. He gave you quite the gentle shake and squeeze, especially compared to Junkrat, which surprised you immensely. He released you soon with no other effort and your hand was left hanging in the air. Before another moment could pass, you pulled it close back to your own space.

You and Roadhog sat in silence as Symmetra continued to scold Junkrat. His own retorts, although seemingly clever, did nothing in his favor as they fueled Symmetra's anger.

"Do you even know what manners are? It's inconceivable to believe you are being so thoughtless on purpose!" Symmetra shouted with little refrain.

"Well there's always some thought in it. I gotta make the sentences somehow, don't I now?" Junkrat's answer fueled the fire within Symmetra, obvious to everyone here but Junkrat. You, however, let out a muffled chuckle in an attempt to hide it.

"You are insufferable." She simply replied, unaware of your suppressed giggling.

"If that was the case you wouldn't be so warmed up to me now, wouldn't ya?" He replied with the wiggles of his eyebrows. His teeth shining a few gold replacements. His expression and demeanor brought welcoming memories of your younger years, a familiar sense of humor and annoyance boiled up into one personality. You knew know matter how much Symmetra denied being able to endure Junkrat's antics, she would fall into the same trap you did all those years ago. Just a few days into their relationship building, and you already see the similar conclusion of Junkrat winning her over.

As your mind wandered through familiar scenarios and almost identical situations between yourself and her, you let yourself go for just a brief, sweet moment. A light giggle escaped your lips as Junkrat continued to infuriate Symmetra.

"(Y/N), don't tell me you're on this imbeciles side?!" She turned to you with an expression of betrayal upon hearing the noise escape your mouth.

"Look at that! How can ya tell me I'm being 'thoughtless' when I made her laugh? What'd you do? Tell her how symmetrical her baked potato is?" He asked as he pointed to your plate. There it was, a baked potato sliced open straight down the middle with contents equal in consistency and shape. As if a mirror split it apart.

This time, you lost your regard for Symmetra's feelings and released a bellowing laugh. The situation bringing in heartwarming memories, and the right touch of humor. No matter how cheesy or lame, you couldn't help yourself.

"Sym-Symmetra I'm so sorry!" You managed to release between each hiccup of laughter. The chuckles preventing you from sucking in the air necessary to form the words.

You continued to squeeze out whatever air you had left. Your face now sheltered by your arm against the table. You slapped a hand on the table, rustling the trays and utensils surrounding you. Symmetra couldn't help but let out a smile. Although she was new, she had heard from other members of what you were going through. So if she had to sacrifice her own pride to see you enjoy yourself, then she was willing to make that choice.

"Well that would be ridiculous to comment on the symmetry of baked potatoes. Her salad is much more aesthetically pleasing." Your lungs squeezed with all their might, releasing another spasm of amusement. Any other time, you would probably let out a quick giggle for these displays of hilarity, but the situation called for you to exaggeratedly let out as much as you could hold in for three days.

"Oi, don't suffocate over there. I won't be responsible for the bird that blew up the other day  _and_ you." Junkrat managed to get to you as you shimmered down. You still felt the tickling feeling under your ribs to let out more, but you resisted. "Torbjörn can fix the jet, he can't fix you." 

"I'm sorry, it's been a while since I was able to let loose." You wiped stray tears from your eyes. You took in deep breaths to replace what was lost.

Junkrat and Symmetra shared the same smile as they watched you compose yourself. You managed to stop sucking in all the air around you and was able to look them in the eyes.

"Y'know, Symmetra probably gonna give me a good one for asking this, but what exactly did the power ranger do to you to get you down in the dumps?" It was strange, a man who has never met you before could even tell you weren't in a good place. But in a way it was comforting knowing that even after he heard the discerning gossip, he's attempting to make you feel better.

"You're right, I should hit you for asking-" Symmetra tried to dismiss the question, but you felt it was a matter of time before someone asked you. You gathered your thoughts and put the pieces together in your mind of what really happened between you and the Shimada.

"It wasn't necessarily what  _he_ did to me. It seems to be a group effort of the old Overwatch members." You answered before Symmetra could continue. You had composed yourself enough to answer seriously. She turned to you with a look of concern, as if asking if it was wise to continue. "They hid quite the secret from me. You probably know what it is from all the talk you're hearing about."

"Yeah, but what I've been hearing is that it was for you're own good. Something 'bout putting you in danger if you knew of the glow stick earlier." Junkrat retorted, causing your own features to shift into a state of confusion. "Why haven't they told you anything yet?" He answered curiously. He shifted in his seat so his peg leg would lay flat over his flesh thigh, the end of it dangerously close to hitting Symmetra, but she didn't seem to mind.

"Well to be honest with you, I haven't bothered to give them time to explain." You answered honestly. The past three days, various people would stop by your room in an effort to offer an explanation. Your own ego caused you to turn them away. People like Lena and Jesse would stop by, but no matter how much you wanted to know the truth, you would close the door on their faces. Even Winston and Angela would try and be a voice of reason, but they couldn't offer the same emotional attachment that the previous did. Their efforts failed even more miserably.

"If I was in you're shoes, I'd give 'em a chance to tell you the truth. Seems to me like these people really care for you. Shouldn't take that for granted. If they as close as you think they are, wouldn't make sense for them to go on and keep something like that for so long. Gotta be a good reason." Junkrat, seemly unaware of the spark he lit in your mind, prodded at whatever was left of Symmetra's plate. As if his own statement went over his head without a care in the world. What if they really do have a decent reason? Were you just being petty in an effort to retaliate? It seems, you weren't just hurting yourself. You were hurting your family.

"You know, for a walking fire hazard you really seem to be making sense." Your eyes locked on to your hands, woven into each other on the table in front of you. You didn't have to look up to see Junkrat's pride radiate off him.

"Oh Gods, he's never going to let that go..." Symmetra mumbled into her hands as she covered her face in defeat.

"Damn right I ain't letting that go! You hear that Roadie? I'm making sense now! It ain't just bombs in me noggin! My gears turnin' to make sense!" Junkrat stood from his seat, unable to keep still as he continues to irritate Symmetra with his ramblings. You stayed seating, a smile forming as he bounded from his chair to go bother Reinhardt and Mei at their table. You could hear him yelling over their conversation about "Finally making sense!"

"He's a strange one, isn't he?" You asked to the woman in front of you. She sat soothing her temples with eyes shut.

"Strange is an understatement." Was all she was able to offer in return.

 

"Agent (L/N), please report to the medical bay immediately." Athena suddenly called through the intercom. Symmetra's head rose from the sound, giving you a questioning look. Even Junkrat, who was currently standing on a chair to surpass Reinhardt's height, paused to give you a look across the room.

"And I didn't even get to finish my aesthetically pleasing salad." You said as you pushed your hands against the table, rising from your chair and maneuvering around it. Symmetra gave you a quick smile of acknowledgement at the remark. "Thank you for sitting with me today, I might still be miserable and sulking if you hadn't." She nodded at you, her smile unfaltering.

"Next time you get yourself in a bad place, we'll be here." She motioned with a tilt of the head to Junkrat who finally sat back down. He was attempting to arm wrestle the German giant. Mei proving to be a discouraging audience to him, as she shouted for Reinhardt's victory.

Once more, you said your appreciation and goodbyes. Even offering Roadhog a peaceful farewell. He grunted in return. Although no actual words were spoken, you felt it was enough for him to depart.

You walked across the compound in an effort to find the med bay. Fatigue fought you the entire way through, forcing you to take turns in the wrong hall way or ending up in a completely different area of the base.

But with persistence, luck, and a little help from the signs you managed to get yourself there in one piece. Clear, sliding doors greeted you as you entered. The entire wing was seemingly one large room, quite a few doors lined the walls. The majority of the open area housed multiple beds with their assigned monitors and various devices. The further you walked through the empty hall, the more you realize the doors were actually surgical or recovery rooms. Some had name plates assigned to them, a few rusted and worn but the screens still displayed the names clearly: Torbjörn Lindohlm, Lena Oxton, Gabriel Reyes. Even after being shut down for such a long time, the base still displayed such miscellaneous attributes.

Towards the end of the hall, you spotted the glass door which held "Dr. Angela Ziegler" printed across. The woman inside was seen rushing through her office, collecting various papers and attempting to clear up the room. Seeing as she was the only one here, you took it that she requested you. So you saw no harm in interrupting her tidying with a quick knock. 

However after passing more doors, more names. The one closest to the Doctor's office caught your attention.

**Genji Shimada**

Was displayed next to the door frame. Dark blue static was shining on the display, but white letters contrasted clearly. You stood in front of the office, with your head turned towards the familiar letters. No expression was present on your features. Just a blank, tired stare into the pixels.

"(Y/N), thank you for coming." Angela now stood in front of you, snapping your attention away. She turned her own eyes to the name displayed, chewing inside her own cheeks at her mistake. "If you don't mind, I would like to conduct a physical on you?" She asked politely once turning her attention back to you.

"I thought that was already taken care of with the questionnaire Athena provided, I don't have any existing conditions if that's what this is for." You replied, Angela simply shook her head.

"It seems there is worry within the group about your health-" Angela began, but you interrupted.

"Worry? Who's worrying?" You asked. A little more aggressively than you had intended. Various faces popped up in your head as to who would go to Angela about you.

"I just need to assess your health, (Y/N)." Angela replied, dodging your question. You watched her with tired eyes, the focus going in and out as you examined her features. The tilt of her head and her curled lips provided reassurance for you. This is nothing more than a physical, you have nothing to worry about.

After a moment, you finally agreed.

She led you to an empty examination room along the far end of the med bay. Providing you with a typical hospital gown, she instructed you to strip down and change. Angela left you with some privacy as you did so. Left to your own thoughts, the room surrounding you provided little to busy your mind with. Plain, white walls with equally pale cabinets were seemingly the definition of sterile, but was still just as boring. Various jars held different disposable items: bandages, cotton balls, and tongue depressors adorned the counter top across from you. 

Wasting no time, you removed your clothes and quickly secured the gown. The plain, white fabric wrapped around you. It secured around the back with strings you left hanging. Your undergarments were left on, so you didn't bother with tying the necessary knots if you had to undo them in a moment anyways.

A quick knock sounded on the door, to which you bid entry. The doctor poked a head through first making sure you really were ready before bringing her whole body inside and shutting the door behind her.

 

The physical went as expected. Angela examined various functions like blood pressure, spinal placement, heart rate, and lung functionality. She checked other workings as any other doctor would. But once she began examining things like balance, hearing, sight, and even reflexes, your body began to falter. You couldn't hold yourself straight as she pushed and pulled on you with your feet together. Your pupils failed to respond accordingly when she used a light against your hues. The hearing tests proved you would either hear the high pitches when they never went off, or simply you couldn't catch them as she turned them on. Reflexes refused to react as your body should have. Either delayed or not at all. The weight chart was ultimately the give away to your malnutrician. Despite being a few days, your body was already losing the weight you charted with Athena when she began tailoring your combat uniform.

"When was the last time you had sleep?" Angela asked as she charted the results on her tablet. The screen shining through her glasses.

"Last night." You answered dishonestly. Subconsciously you knew it wouldn't fly past the doctor, but your own thought process refused to answer logically.

"(Y/N), I didn't even have to conduct a physical to see the bags under your eyes." She retorted. You turned your head towards your feet. Your mismatched socks hanged over the examination bed. 

"It was... I think the ride here from Berlin, just before we arrived." You mumbled. Embarrassed about being caught in your own lie.

"Three days? You haven't slept in three days?" Her features scrunched in concern. She began setting the tablet down and open one of the many drawers within the room. She dug through the contents before sighing in defeat. "I have a sleep aid somewhere here that I can provide to help the insomnia-"

"I'm not an insomniac." You cut in. Angela stopped her riffling to look up at you. Her features loosening as she catches on. Your fatigue had nothing to do with any medical condition.

 She rose from her bent over position over the drawer and turned to you. She pulled the glasses from her face and set them within the front pocket of her white coat, black rims still sticking out from their compartment.

"Is there anything I could do to help?" She asked sincerely. It was a question asked by multiple people over the course of these past few days, a question you always dismissed.

"Actually, I think I'd very much like to hear that explanation now." Angela's eyes widened slightly. The surprise request to which you have been putting off actually caught her off guard. With the help of the other members, they have struggled to get even a moment with you to tell you the truth. This visit was the closest thing to interaction with any of them you've had in days. Your answer came with the words Junkrat had spoken to you earlier, of how they surely meant to protect you rather than spite you. You had already decided to seek them for their story before being called here, this simply made the situation easier.

"O-Of course! Uhh, we should gather the others, however. I'll let you change and we can walk to the debriefing room. Athena will assemble the rest of the members." She seemed to be caught in her own words, sounding a little too excited with just a hint of anxiety.

She left the room swiftly, leaving you to your own clothes. You couldn't exactly pinpoint your own emotions. Nervousness, fear, confusion, it all swirled within your veins. The pit of your stomach holding the brunt of it all. You didn't know what to expect, what sort of string of words would be said to you. If you would leave relieved or even angrier than before. Your whole life has been a mystery, from your origins to your own identity. Hell, you didn't even know how old you were. So to finally be presented with any sort of truth, an  _explanation._ It just seemed almost unfathomable.

 

You and Angela walked along different corridors. You had heard the intercom go off for the various names: Lena, Jesse, Morrison, and even Genji. The majority of the original members were going to be present, which stirred the anxiety. Your own tiredness did nothing to calm you, it could even be making it worse. Your entire walk to the debriefing room left you with little time to gather yourself. Angela later asked if you would rather go through everything once you've gotten some rest, but you have waited long enough. You have been depriving yourself of the necessary closure, refusing to accept the little bit of truth you had been finally offered in the entirety of your lifetime. You were ready, and you didn't want to wait a second longer.

Angela held open the door for you. Taking a step in, you already see Lena and Jesse sitting in their own chairs around the circle of the hologram table. Their eyes rose to your figure as you entered, Jesse was the first to rise from his seat. Lena following close behind once realizing she was still sitting.

"Glad you finally changed your mind, doll." Jesse expressed with a cautious smile. His hat now held in his hand out of respect. The metal chest plate of armor now gone, which left the ragged, tan button up left. His sleeves rolled up, revealing a flesh and metal arm equally. His infamous crimson poncho spread across the chair behind him instead of over his shoulders.

"So am I to be honest with you." You replied as you took a seat across from them. Lena still stood, watching you with a smile as Angela took a seat between her and the cowboy. You looked up at the small girl, unsure of what to do or say. But with a gentle nod of her head, you got her message that she understood your silence. You simply gave her an acknowledging curl of your lip in return. Although small, the gesture visibly eased her. Her own teeth showing in gratitude as she held her chin higher. In an effort to keep your expressions to a minimum, you turned your head and kept your own joyous thoughts to yourself.

Morrison was the next to enter, his mask still hiding away any expression. But the slowness of his walk and the ease of the nod he passed your way was enough to recognize the appreciation he held for you being here. He took a moment to pass by you, squeezing your shoulder before taking a seat to the right of Jesse, leaving two seats on either side of you left. To be completely honest, it was almost intimidating to have so many figures sit across from you like this.

Almost within the same moment, the door opened once more.

The final member made their entrance, metal mixed with synthetic muscle strode across the room. There was no hesitation, no slowness to his steps as he gently pulled one of the sleek rolling chairs out and sat down.

Genji sat closest to you, ignoring the other 3 empty chairs. You turned to your left where he sat, your heart beating roughly against your chest as the realization of his proximity hit you. His arms leaned against the table top with hands folding together. Minute holograms distorting under the pressure as he stared forward. Your eyes glaring holes into the side of his helm. The rest of the group sitting in silence, expecting the slightest of movement or noise to shatter the room's tension. Your breathing almost slowed to a stop. No longer were you in denial, but your body seemed to react to a different emotion. Relief? Anxiety? Maybe it was just flat out surprise at this point.

Eyes darting quicker than humanly possible from you to the man next to you. It seems to be a common theme whenever you two are in presence of each other. As if people are waiting for either to snap. You however, simply turned back to the table in front of you. Forcing your own breathing in a rhythm to calm your heart. Your pulse continuously beating within your eardrums.

_Thump Thump Thump_

Just as it begins to cloud your mind, a voice breaks through. Snapping your hearing elsewhere.

"Now that we are all here, I guess it is safe to finally begin." Angela cut through the silence, gathering everyone's attention equally.

 

Safe isn't exactly a word you would use in this situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GAHHH don't hate me for cutting it off right there! I felt it would be too far rushed and sloppy if I tried shoving all of this drama I'm about to throw you guys into one chapter. Especially since I haven't given you guys time to really absorb what situation I have put all of you in. I absolutely loved the feedback on the previous chapter so instead of rushing things to get them over with I have decided to give you something you guys can like sorta absorb and process. Although I'm sure most of you would want the explanation right away, I feel like I needed something in between to kind of set the mood for how the next chapter is going to go. Even through the small moment (TBH it was like a majority of the chapter who am I fooling) of happiness ft. Junkmetra, I still want to keep it slightly on the angsty side for just a little longer [:


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the super long wait! School just started and there was so much to do! Senior year is going to be a tough one, thats for sure. So I decided to leave the updates to a weekly thing, most on the weekends.  
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Leave a comment of what you think!

You sat in one of the chairs amongst many around a circular hologram table. You stared into the different planes displayed, colors within the images replaced by an obscure blue. The table in front of you showed different names, files. Each of their relevance as they glowed in your eyes has yet to be explained as Morrison pulled each one up, one by one.

"Winston explained the purpose of the recall beforehand, correct?" Angela asked as more files pilled up in front of everyone.

"It has to do with the targeted attacks, right? Overwatch members were disappearing left and right, presumably by Talon." You answered, not exactly sure of the reasoning behind the question. "The recall was a way to get us all together in a safe place while we try and stop them." 

"Yes. Each of these members displayed have been either labeled MIA or confirmed KIA by Talon operatives. However it is true that it was a form of protection for all the members, what we couldn't--sorry, what we  _didn't_ explain was the reason behind these attacks." Angela spoke with ease up until her correction. She changed her demeanor once correcting the mistake, which you appreciated her for catching her own words.

"Reason? Isn't being part of Overwatch reason enough?" You asked taking a look around. The files stopped soon after you answered Angela's question. Lena sat with her legs crossed in her chair, scrunching in her seat. Any further and she would get sucked into the cushion.

"Uh well, if anything being part of Overwatch was just a bonus for them, taking out an enemy and getting closer to what they want." You attention now glued to Angela. Her statement visibly confusing you.

"What they want?" Was all you asked. The members began turning heads, making eye contact with everyone around.

Except for Genji. He has yet to move since taking a seat, his eyes seemed to be set on in imaginary point in the middle of the table. You weren't sure if you appreciated the lack of vitality, or were intimidated by it.

"Before we get into that, it's important to remember that the Shimada clan let you go with a very questionable sense of mercy." Your brows almost touched each other as they scrunched inward. Although Angela's voice was a soothing buffer to this information, it almost did nothing to ease the confusion. "You returned to us with your life, something no other enemy of the clan was able to do."

"Because of Genji." You answered with no hesitation. Angela paused her dialogue, as the other members looked to you. Almost going unnoticed, Genji's head tilted just a fraction of a degree towards where you sat. You aren't even sure if he really did or your mind is playing tricks on you.

"Y-Yes. Well as you know, we thought that was going to be it for them and their empire. They lost both heirs and the information you gathered over the years was enough to prosecute a majority of the members." She continued. You leaned forward in your chair, now tilting your head in question.

"Majority? I gathered enough to practically put the entire clan in prison." Now you wondered if after all these years, everything you sacrificed has been in vain as members of the clan wandered free. The mere thought causes you to feel sick.

"Well even with the heavy presence of media and your solid evidence, a few managed to buy off authorities and judicial officers. We didn't think bribery would be a problem because all of their finances were either frozen or seized." Jesse now began to shift uncomfortably in his chair. Your eyes shifted to his figure, he simply kept his head down. "But as you know, Blackwatch at this point was already corrupted in a sense. They managed to help out a select few of the Shimadas in exchange for their resources and clients." 

You grabbed your arm rests and leaned back into your chair. The creaking from the plastic came unnoticed in your ears, along with everyone else. For 7 years you worked under Reyes, and for who knows how many of those years you were working for a corrupt organization. You believed you could trust Gabriel, and you did. The other members never had that sense of familiarity the same way the Overwatch members did and this could be one of the reasons why. As someone who gathers information for a living, you sure feel foolish for letting this slip under you for so long.

"It wasn't all of the members. We even have reason to believe Reyes wasn't in on it until its last few breaths." Morrison finally spoke up. Seemingly answering the ramblings within your own head. However, it did next to nothing to sooth your thoughts.

"So some of them are free now?" You spoke lightly. As if saying it any louder would cause them to burst through the door. Anger was beginning to boil up within, but not at any of the other members. You were angry at yourself for letting something so crucial go by you.

"Yes. Once you were relocated to another mission in Russia, they began appearing within our servers again." You turned to Lena in her chair, the blue glow from her chronal accelerator caused shadows to appear over the dips if her features. Her nose bright and shining with azure but her eyes and forehead shadowed over. Still, you were able to see the look of concern and guilt displayed on her face.

"Okay, so what does all of this have to do with hiding Genji from me?" The name now easier to say than ever. You didn't struggle to get the syllables off your tongue and it most definitely was caught on by the other members as they look to you.

"One of our loyal colleagues slipped it to them that you were on who kicked them off their pedestal, not Genji." Jesse cut in with sarcasm around "loyal colleagues". Seemingly more at ease now that the Blackwatch information has been shared. "They been looking for you ever since, darlin'." 

The lack of climatic build up in Jesse's statement left you frozen for a moment. Genji died taking the blame, that was the only reason you were able to walk free. But then again you were unsure of anything, you  _thought_ he died taking the blame. Yet here he is. You  _thought_ the Shimada clan went to jail for their crimes, yet some are free. You thought a lot of things, why should this statement be any different.

"They've been looking for me? Why haven't they made an effort to try and get me?" You asked taking your spot leaning forward again.

"That's the thing, love. We've been keeping them off you this whole time." Lena filled in. No longer keeping quiet to the discussion. She dropped her feet to the ground so she could take a better look at the surrounding members before stopping her gaze on you. "We were going to tell you from the beginning but-"

 

"I didn't want you to know." 

 

Genji cut into the conversation with a startle. You turned slightly to your left to see he has now taken his arms off the table and is sitting up straight in his chair. Although proper, it seems awkward compared to everyone else's lack demeanor.

"Upon my request, I was to go after my family without you knowing." You mouth was left agape. The sudden bluntness of the statement left you desperate for Angela's soothing voice again.

"W-Why? Why have me believe you were dead in order to do so?" You started off low, but as the question strung from your lips it began to sound more aggressive. The statement didn't make sense, it didn't add up to any calculations or theories you kept in your head. "All these years, I could have helped you!" 

"That's exactly what I didn't want." He replied in no change of tone or attitude. He continued to sit with his hands against his lap as he spoke to you from his side, refusing to turn his visor to your eyes. "You've seen what my family has done to their enemies. I needed to stay dead in your mind so I can take care of them and keep you safe." 

"No. I... Do you even know what you're saying?" You brought your voice down. Your words spewing condescension, words forming at the base of your tongue that just bathed in venom.  "This is just all one cliche after another! I'm not just some damsel in distress, another princess for you to keep locked away! I can help you! I've practically trained my whole life to take out the bad guys and you want me to stay away from that? It doesn't make sense!"

"It doesn't have to make sense. It was the right choice." Genji continued. Keeping his stoic demeanor. The members around the table stayed silent, only watching the interaction with still breaths and nervous hearts.

"It was a stupid choice." You retorted, almost immaturely.

"(Y/N)..." Angela tried calling your attention again.

"What? You don't think so? Just listen to this: For 10 years you fake your own death to keep the person who personally trained you away from the group she has taken down already before for the sake of her own 'safety'. It was pointless, all the heartbreak just to save his own ego." Your lungs filled with rage, the words not even going through a filter as they flew from your lips.

"In those 10 years, they never came for you did they?" Genji asked with more force in his voice. "You were never attacked, hunted. You didn't have to go to sleep worrying if they were going to tear down your door to get to you." This time, he turned completely to face you. You stared wide eyed as he continued to squeeze his grip on the arm rests. They visibly strained under the pressure. "Answer me, (Y/N). You never felt the need to worry about my family coming after you all these years, did you?"

You paused. In the few days of your reunion, Genji has shown no other emotion other than caution around you. For him to finally burst like this was frightening.

"N-No." You barely answered. "But I could have done some-"

"But nothing! I did what I had to do to keep you safe, I have no regrets in that choice." He interrupted, ending his statement in a calmer tone. The room felt frozen, no one dared to even blink as the air settled in silence. You simply kept staring at him as he turned back in his attention to the table in front of him. He brought his hands together as they folded over the holograms.

Although you and Lena moved a lot, it was never because of the Shimada clan. Either government officials or Talon ended up being the pests to force you out. Despite this bit of information, you still felt you could have done your part to help. You were never one to let others do the heavy lifting, so finding out during all these years Genji spent trying to get rid the people coming after you while you spent late nights with Lena watching movies and eating ice cream. Of course there was work to be done, you and Lena did your fair share. But in all honesty, it was nothing compared to the work either of you did for Overwatch. It was child's play, so being lax was your default attitude.

"Err, well you should also know that in a last ditch effort the Shimada's hired Talon to look for you. They began getting desperate and now with an organization of that size, Genji couldn't handle them alone." Angela tried to continue the conversation, as if the outburst never happened. Your attention loosely placed on her.

"What?" You asked, not really paying attention.

"Which is why my screw up in King's Row led them straight to you..." Lena finished, taking your question as something to elaborate, not repeat.

"King's Row..." You repeated more to yourself than anyone. Your fatigue not helping with gathering your attention back onto what's important. 

"But there's been some chatter now 'bout you. We don't know exactly what it is but apparently they've been after you even before the Shimada's hired them." Jesse filled in. Your mind coming back to the conversation. "Even when we were back at Deadlock."

"Is this what you meant by them wanting me?" You asked. Your tone now back down reasonably. You were with Deadlock for 10 years prior to Overwatch. Talon was most definitely not a major presence in the world. They didn't truly make their name until a few years before the fall. So to hear you were within their sights even when they were just a small stain on the sidewalk, it makes you question how much you really mean to them. Not just as an Overwatch agent, but as a person.

"As far as we know, yes." He finished. "Once they found out Genji was alive, they began picking up on his activity to get to you and realized he was coming after the clan."

"They got almost nowhere with him because we took such extreme measures to keep you two separated, but because of that they decided to accept the Shimada's offer to help them, thinking they were helping themselves." Angela continued. You confusion returning as they continued.

"So it was to keep Talon and the clan away from me?" You questioned, the story not exactly adding up.

"No, we never knew of Talon's involvement until about a week ago during an interrogation. The fact that we kept you two separated because of the Shimada's ended up unknowingly working against Talon as well." The pieces began to fit again, the reason Talon made such efforts to thwart you and Lena. Also the fact that they said the reason behind keeping you apart was because of the Shimada's, not Talon. You stared at your lap, all this trouble for what exactly? What made you so valuable to them?

"Do you know why they want me so badly?" Cautiously, you asked. Unsure if you wanted to know the answer.

Angela simply shook her head while taking a look at Morrison. He joined her by giving you a slight nod as well.

"The operative we captured never gave that up, only that they were willing to do whatever to capture you. Which is why so many former agents were being taken out, they were all in an effort to get to you." Morrison finished. You leaned back in your chair unsure of what to think of the situation. It's been used, the same story of every childhood cartoon. The protagonist has to save the girl and they can live happily ever after. But what if Genji wasn't the protagonist here? What if you weren't in need of saving? What if in an effort to force the role on you, it really ended up hurting you more than ever? It sure feels that way.

"I want to help."

You breathed out as the members around the table stayed silent. They looked up upon hearing your voice, you simply tilted your head back up from your lap.

"(Y/N)?" Angela asked, unsure of what you really said.

"I want to help all of you. I don't want to sit back and let everyone get hurt because of me." You brought your eyes over the different names and faces on the table. Their files still hovering over the glass, a reminder of what Talon was willing to do to get to you. "They all died because of me, I don't want anymore deaths on my hands. All because I was in the dark."

"I still don't know if that's a good decision. We told you all of this because there was no more hiding, not because we want you to join in. You are the one thing they are after, it wouldn't make sense to practically put you in arms length of them." Angela tried to be reasonable. Lena sat uncomfortable next to her as she continued to speak. Concern written all over the Brit's features.

"You've done it before." You spoke with no thought. The attention back on you now, questionably. "You put me in the hands of a criminal empire, corrupt governments, multiple gangs, and even our own twisted media just to take them down. I have been at more than just arms length, I've sat at the dinner table with them." You finished. You were trained for infiltration and espionage, keeping a distance wasn't in your job description.

The members looked around, catching the gaze of everyone. You had a point, although the only difference is Talon is specifically looking for  _you._ There was no alias, no secret identity to go by because they already knew who you were. It was a matter of your own skill rather than deception to take them down.

"Doll," Jesse began to cut into the conversation, letting out a chuckle with each of his words. "Who raised you to be this insane?"

A smile began fighting it's way onto your features. The skin around your lips stretching slightly, holding back with whatever stoicism was left.

"Some ol'cowboy who thought it was a good idea to give a baby a gun." You replied, your own accent returning. The words no longer fighting the proper enunciation as you spoke to Jesse. Although rare, certain moments bring out the Western in you.

"I wouldn't call a 9 year old a baby, your age was more than the amount of bullets in that 'volver. Seemed like reason enough to letcha shoot." Jesse stretched his arms behind his head as he let out a chuckle. He leaned all the way back in the rolling chair, causing it to tilt backwards to compensate. "Well? We gonna let her in on this or not?" Jesse called out to the group.

"I still don't think it's a good idea.." Angela tried once more.

"Let the kid help. The rest of us aren't enough to take them down, we need all the soldiers we can get." Morrison chimed in, taking your side. He gave you a nod before turning back to Angela.

"But this isn't a matter of infiltrating anymore, she would actually have to fight along side us." Angela argued, genuinely concerned for you.

"Over the years of mercenary work, she's proved time and time again she has a few more tricks." Lena spoke to the doctor. Her accelerator glowing under her nose. "She doesn't need another name to take out the bad guys, I've seen her do it every mission." She turned back to you, offering you a smile. Although heartfelt, it was still cautious. Unsure if you truly were forgiving her or not.

Angela leaned back in her chair, debating her own thoughts with the pros and cons. Equal parts danger and certainty.

"Genji? What do you think?" She asked to the man next to you. He has yet to give his opinion on letting you help the group take down Talon.

His visor glowed emerald against the blue of the table. It flickered slightly, the years bearing down on them. You could see the metal plates of his chest rising with each breath, but to noise of intake or exhale could be heard.

"Alright."

Was all he spoke, a single word that allowed you to release a breath you didn't know you held. The electronic buzz of each syllable proving melodic as he gave approval. The rest of the group releasing their cement positions as it was made official.

"Well, I guess there it is. I'll tell Winston so he can update Athena. She'll be assigning you real missions now, (Y/N). Just be prepared." Angela spoke as she stood up. The unofficial signal of dismissal. Morrison stood to follow, leaving the rest around the table.

"Ain't that exciting? Couldn't get yourself in enough trouble at Deadlock, now you gotta start it here." Jesse walked over to you, squeezing your shoulders playfully.

"We can actually go on real missions together, love!" Lena spoke behind Jesse. She simply blinked around him to reach you. However, your hesitation in returning the joyous behavior didn't go unnoticed. "Oh, right. Sorry..." Lena calmed down. She brought her arms down to her sides and looked at you through shadowed eyed. Jesse simply stood as a buffer for the both of you, before you gave him a simple nod of approval and he stepped aside.

"It's alright, Lena." You took a step forward, placing a hand on her arm. "I forgive you." Although she didn't ask for it directly, you knew she wouldn't be able to sleep until she heard it from you. Your words caused the ends of her lips to pull and display a row of whites, her smile radiating brighter than her accelerator. Without another word, she grasped your shoulders and shoved you into an inescapable hug. With just a hint of reluctance, you pushed back those feelings and brought your own arms around her waist. The feeling of your best friend warm against you. Despite being petty and avoiding contact for the past few days, you still missed her. Her hyper attitude, unbeatable happiness, and even her borderline unrealistic optimism was something you longed for.

"Alright you should be getting some rest now, (L/N)." Jesse brought a much larger hand to your shoulder, prompting Lena to release you.

"You don't have to tell me twice." You spoke as the two of them walked you back to your dorm.

Despite now getting the explanation, there seems to be something still twitching in the back of your mind. Unanswered questions that keep repeating themselves as you walk back to your room. What does Talon want with you? How did the Shimadas even survive this long? At what point did Blackwatch turn into the entity you swore to fight against? Unsure of even these questions, you decided to push them into the depths of your mind. Filed in a section marked for later. You were too tired and too vulnerable to be thinking of these things.

 

What you needed now, was sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay im going to be so honest and say i really did not like this chapter at all. It was all one giant cliche and I'm just going to apologize now for making you wait so long for just this. Although i tried to make it so it sets up into other events i have planned, so hopefully those would make up for this really doodoo chapter. I'm sorry if everyone seems OOC i spent all week writing and then deleting and writing just to delete some more, so after maybe the 3rd or 4th draft i kind of just gave up on sticking with the characters. I didn't even proof read too much either so please do tell me of any inconsistencies or grammar mistakes, I'd very much appreciate them. Sorry again I really couldn't find a way to get the explanation out without making it sound stereotypical and reused. But I really do hope you still enjoy and stick around for the next chapters, as bad as this one is I still kept the set up the same so the rest of the plot should fall into place nicely.  
> Thank you all for reading and please leave a comment on what you think!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Warm fluffiness and tears of laughter ahead. Also you guys might get second-hand embarrassment but that ties into the laughter so its okay.
> 
> OKAY so i really like this chapter but I haven't proof read it or anything, so it might have a lot of mistakes. Also there is one aspect of this chapter that I absolutely loved but you guys might find annoying, and if so I really do apologize. Let me know if it does or it's too annoying and I'll probably rewrite this chapter. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy and don't forget to let me know what you think in the comments!

_It's been a few months now of training. Summer was showing it's obvious signs of shifting into Autumn. The leaves grew dry, the weather seemed cooler. The air, you noticed, seemed to be thinner rather than the humid heaviness of it. It was a Sunday, you noted that no matter how many times you tried to get Genji out of bed these mornings, they would be futile. So you decided to simply give Genji this one day out of the week to rest._

_Resting, however, is something he hardly did anyways._

_"We should go to the movies."_

_"No."_

_"What about dinner?"_

_"No."_

_"Arcade?"_

_"No."_

_"What if we just sit here and die of boredom?"_

_"Sounds like a plan."_

_You lay against the headboard of Genji's bed, legs straight as he lay his head over your lap. Genji's legs dangled over the side of the mattress while he stared into the ceiling. You held a tablet in your hand, scrolling through the different apps and stopping at a few every once in a while. Your other hand found it's way in Genji's hair, massaging the scalp and running through the locks. Black strands bled through the gaps between your fingers, tickling the appendage._

_"C'mon! We have all day to do whatever, we should be doing something." Genji once again began to reason._

_"You blew off training every weekend because you 'needed a break', and now that I give you one, you want to do everything." You tilted your tablet to watch for a reaction. His eyes shifted from the pristine paint of the ceiling to your features._

_"When I asked for a break I meant from training, I still wanna do something fun."  He crossed his arms and pouted his lips as you returned your attention to your tablet. You finally rested on an e-book you bookmarked earlier._

_You continued to play with Genji's productless hair as your eyes followed the words on the screen. The story was quite simple for your taste. It followed a girl with the extreme dilemma of saving the world, but at the cost of someone dear to her. She was unfortunately gifted with the knowledge of the Earth's population's impending doom by an unnamed stranger yet to be revealed. Instructions were given on how to stop it: kill the assailant before the domino's fall._

_But the only problem was that the person she needed to end was her lover._

_Unbeknownst to her, the man she gave her heart to planned on giving her the world in return; quite literally._

_So she was left with choosing humanity or her love. Halfway through the book, you already predict she was going to save the world. In what mind is one person more valuable than everyone? However, despite your own skepticism, you continued to read. You weren't sure why you kept with the story. The words weren't strewn together in some sort of poetic fashion. The plot was overly used and predictable. Was it the protagonist? Did she speak to you in a way you haven't seen before? Surely if you were in her shoes the book would only be 3 pages long. One for backstory, one for the conflict to be presented, and one for you to kill him. Simple, one person in exchange for the world._

_Right?_

_"Didn't you have to go with your father to that meeting today? With all the business partners?" You asked, distracting yourself from the story._

_"Yeah, I'm thinking of ditching though." Genji replied, sleepy eyed and low voiced. Your massage is probably putting the poor kid to sleep._

_"You'd get in trouble." You offered, getting Genji out of the house might actually do some good for you. At least, for your mission._

_"When am I not in trouble?" He mumbled back. Your eyes flickered in his direction, giving him a minute curl of the lips._

_"I'll let you take next week off if you go." You returned your eyes to your book, skimming over the same sentence over and over again waiting for a response._

_Genji turned his head, his cheek against your thigh. Your hand moved slightly to allow for adjustment but you kept reading._

_'...Eliza traversed the forest to get home... get home... Eliza... the forest... home...'  
_

_The sentence being scanned multiple times, but your attention lay on Genji. He simply stared at you a moment too long after your question._

_"Why do you care?" He finally asked, releasing you from the endless cycle of the sentence you didn't even bother to remember._

_You looked down. Genji's body was turned to match the direction of his attention. His black t-shirt ruffled in the shift, lifting teasingly at the bottom. Skin peaking, with a hint of a happy trail._

_"I don't, but your father told me to beat you into shape. This is me doing so." A smirk rose to his lips, your eyes trailing back up to his. He caught you. In an effort to disguise yourself, you simply raised a brow. 'Unimpressed' lay across your features._

_"You are pretty lenient for 'beating me into shape'." He replied a little uneasy. Your micro expression working perfectly. His smirk dropped and he began leaning back to his original position. "What if I go for something else instead?"_

_Your attention peaked. The sudden change in terms caused you to scrunch your brows in curiosity. You brought the tablet down against your stomach to avoid hitting Genji on your lap._

_"And what would that be?" You asked with the tilt of your head._

_"If you go on a date with me."_

_A date? Seriously?_

_"You sound juvenile." Was all you replied. Bringing the tablet back up._

_'...Traversed... Eliza... forest...'_

_"That wasn't a no!" Genji expressed, before you shut him down._

_"It wasn't a yes either." Your voice monotone as you continued to 'read'._

_'...Home... to get...'_

_"I guess I'm getting in trouble then..." Genji crossed his arms defiantly. His expression is that of a toddler._

_"Do you even hear yourself? You're 25 years old!" You began to laugh to hide the annoyance in your voice. Your tablet began to fall back down onto your stomach without you noticing._

_"I'm not talking to you until you say yes." Was all he said before turning his body completely, until the opposite cheek rested against your leg. He curled his legs up against his torso to fit his whole body atop the bed. Although you were over his tantrum, he did look quite adorable._

_"Finally, some silence so I can read." You said loudly for emphasis._

_You brought the tablet up, watching for any sign of reluctance for Genji. Surprisingly, he held up._

_'...The forest... get home... Eliza...'_

_You continued to watch through your peripherals. His breathing steady with his body still. You were no longer playing with his obsidian locks._

_Carefully, he began to shift. Only 5 minutes into his tantrum. Cautiously, he turned to you as you stared into your tablet. He waited for you to look at him, but he would have had to wait forever._

_"(Y/N)..."_

_You continued to read, clearly hearing the light mumble of your name._

_"(Y/N)." He tried again, louder this time._

_'....Forest... Eliza...'_

_"(Y/N). Ughh!" He began to drag your name along his tongue, incoherent sounds releasing from his lips once he finished your name. He began to lift from your lap, his knees against the mattress as he stared into your forehead._

_Yet you continued on._

_'...Eliza... Eliza...'_

_"(Y/N)!"  He grabbed the tablet straight from your hands before flinging it behind him into the abyss he labels as his room. He crawled forward, an arm on either side of you._

_"I thought you weren't talking to me?" You smirked, mere inches from his face as his features shifted into something of displeasure, resentment, and maybe even a alight hint of satisfaction._

_Genji at this point could only stare. No woman in his life made it so difficult for him. A simple wink could bring home girls, a gift he was aware he abused. At most he would have to go on a date or two, but even then they would never deny him one. He has yet to meet another girl to ever tell him no for anything. The first, only ever being his mother._

_Yet here you are. Not a sweat on your brow, a strand of hair out of place, not even the blinking of your lids showed any struggle. The words 'No' and then some spewing from your perfectly formed lips without a hint of hesitation. The way your eyebrows would raise in that godawful sass, yet he loved it. The way you made him work for your attention, something he's never experienced before._

_Before he even realized, his body began to gravitate towards you. You didn't move, you didn't even react. Slowly, he tilted his head to fit the two of you together._

_But just before the moment, just before two worlds collided. A meteor struck him. That meteor being your index finger, and the landing site being his puckering lips._

_"You have the funniest face before you're going to kiss." You began to giggle, bringing the hand that stopped him up to your own lips to cover as much of your laughter as you can. He simply stared wide eyed, breathes away from your face. You continued to laugh, your lungs began to heave in an effort to push the amusement out. Genji held no expression. He continued his position with outstretched arms on either side of you. His thumbs gently grazing against your sides._

_Your laughter turned into wheezing, suddenly you began to pucker your own lips exaggeratedly_

_"Like this! Muah! Muah!" You sucked in the hallows of your cheeks, causing your lips to protrude in front of him. Before you could even hold up your impression for longer than a few seconds, you burst out again. You brought your hand up to your chest to match with the one across your lips. You struggled to breathe, causing you to twitch your body in various ways under Genji._

_Despite the embarrassment, all Genji could do was watch you with a smile._

_Your eyes began to tear up, you couldn't even see the way he smiled at you as you continued to laugh your horrendous and obnoxious laugh. Another thing he found himself falling for._

_You continued, so all he felt he could do was drop his head against your stomach. The spasms continuing even with his face against your belly._

_"I hate you so much..." Was all he mumbled against the cloth of your shirt._

_"Hahaha! I know!" Your laughter began to resonate lower, only to be brought back up once you caught your breath._

_Slowly, you began to compose yourself. After mocking the poor boy on top of you a few more times, you began to take in air easier. You wiped the stray tears away and was able to breathe easy again._

_"Oh man. That was hilarious." You spoke out of breath. But apparently, Genji didn't want you to think you'd get to disrespect a Shimada and walk away unscathed. He decided to give you the treatment you deserved for making a fool out of the second heir to the Shimada throne._

_Quickly and without fault, he lifted your shirt to expose your belly button and slapped his lips over it._

_"What?! Hey-"  Before you could even catch onto what was happening, Genji blew out the biggest breath of air he could muster up._

_"GENJI NO!!" You began to shout in protest as the laughter returned with a force. Genji held you down on the bed to prevent your escape. The loud whooping resonating from the contact of his lips to your stomach caused you to laugh even harder. His actions tickled you into hysteria, preventing you from even breathing. You struggled to push him away, laughter mixed with screams of protests surely went heard throughout the castle except for Genji. Without even releasing, he grabbed your flailing arms and pinned them down, using the weight of his own body to hold down your legs._

_You continued to scream, laugh, and even cry as he blew into your belly button for a few more seconds. Presumably, he was just as out of breath as you were and was forced to release you._

_Just as soon as he let you go, you pushed him away with remnants of laughter still resonating. You began to kick your way further down the mattress to distance yourself from him as you calmed down. Genji simply sat up, breathing heavy with plump, red lips. He took a moment to wipe away any remnants from his mouth and chin. The pressure of his tickling showing on them. He kept his eyes on you as you crawled away, before scanning lower to your still exposed stomach. Evidence of his presence still lingering. Catching his gaze, you looked down to yourself._

_"Ugh! Gross your spit is all over me!" You feigned annoyance before reaching down with the fabric of your shirt to wipe it away. However, your hand was stopped before you could even reach your skin._

_Genji held onto you before taking the hem of his own shirt and lifting it. He leaned forward as you stood still, stretching the fabric over your stomach and wiping away._

_You looked up at him just as he finished cleaning. The happy trail from earlier now in full view. You unknowingly swallowed whatever saliva was left in your mouth as he pulled away, bringing his shirt back down._

_"Next weekend my family is hosting a dinner party. I'll make sure to get you something nice to wear." He rose from the bed, leaving you to stare in confusion._

_"What? Why do I have to wear something nice? I'm working that night as one of the servers." You replied before he walked into his quite large closet._

_"You'll be my date." He yelled over the muffling of his clothes. He walked back out soon after with a jet black dress shirt and matching tie._

_"Date? I never said yes!" You replied, finally pulling down your shirt to cover your stomach. He laid the clothes on the bed before walking back in the closet._

_"But you never said no." Was all he replied as he walked back out with dress shoes._

_You crossed your legs before squinting at him. He placed the shoes on the floor before grabbing the dress shirt. Already wearing a simple black t-shirt, he simply flung the button up over it._

_"You're something else, Shimada." You replied as you grabbed the tie. Genji began buttoning up the shirt, leaving it untucked over his dark jeans._

_"I'm hoping that'll win you over." He popped the collar up as you plopped your feet on the floor. You walked around the bed and wrapped the tie around his neck._

_"Yeah, you keep saying that kiddo. It'll work eventually." You began lacing the jet black fabric together. A very subtle texture of gloss in the shapes of diagonal stripes lay over the cloth._

_"I'm hoping so." He smiled as you finished knotting the fabric together. You tightened the knot and brought back down the collars._

_"Don't get into any trouble in this meeting." You spoke as Genji began to roll up the sleeves of his crisp dress shirt just below his elbows. Creating a casual look to his attire._

_"I don't make any promises I can't keep, sweetheart." He gave you a dimpled smile. His teeth shining as you crossed your arms._

_"That so? Well you might have to change that motto once you realize you can't win me over." You replied with a hint of pride. Genji began to lace his shoes on before looking up to you._

_"Believe me, that's the only thing I'm basing that motto on." He gave you another signature smirk before rising. His height in his dress shoes giving him quite the advantage over you. His broad shoulders, toned arms giving you the impression he really is the man the Shimada's raised him to be._

_However, his personality seemed to fail the entire clan._

_"You think they'll have food there? I'm starving." Genji walked around the room collecting various items; keys, phone, and wallet. You walked over to the thrown tablet, picking it up before taking your spot on Genji's bed._

_"Genji, don't ask to stop by that burger place again. You ended up being late almost half an hour because of that last time." You spoke before turning the tablet back on. The screen glowing the page you left off of._

_"It wasn't **that** bad." He reasoned before making his way towards the door. You looked up at him as he stopped in the doorway, giving him a side glance that'll make him take this seriously. "Alright, alright."_

_"Thank you, now go before you make them late anyways." You began to wave him off. He simply gave you a quick wave and a nod before departing._

_"Don't stay up waiting, honey." He spoke with a sarcastic, suburban husband voice._

_"The kids won't let me otherwise, love!" You replied with equal amounts of housewife. You could hear Genji snort as he made his way down the hall. The clatter from the heel of his shoes resonating throughout, until they were swallowed into the void of silence._

_So you lay with legs crossed._

_Waiting, reading. Listening for true solitude._

_'...Home... Forest...'_

_Clank._

_The front gates are now shut. The head of the house and both Shimada heirs are now gone._

_You rose from the mattress, closing the e-reader app and opening a calculator._

_53,773/622,733_

_Instead of popping up the answer, the calculator shut. The screen being replaced by a blue screen and dark keyboard._

_'Elites are gone. How shall I proceed?'_

_You typed into the space provided. You waited as you stood in the center of Genji's room._

_..._

_'Get everything you can on **Project Ryūjin** '_

_Ryūjin? You haven't seen anything on dragons since your start here. Sure, the Shimada's tend to have everything 'Dragon' themed but you've never actually seen any files or business deals under the name 'Dragon'._

 

_'Understood.'_

_Was all you typed in before closing the secure server appropriately. You began to make your leave, walking towards the laundry room._

 

_'...Forest... Eliza...'_

 

_The word engraved in your mind, no longer did you have to reread the sentence. But now you were stuck with it's remnants between your ears like a song playing over and over again._

_'...Traverse...'_

_You grabbed a laundry cart, rolling it outside the room towards your destination._

_'...To get home...'_

_You walked down the halls, twisting and turning accordingly before stopping at the furthermost room down._

_'...Eliza... Eliza...'_

_You parked the cart in front of the door, leaving room for you to squeeze between. You checked the hall to make sure no one was around before taking a loosely fitted booby pin from your jean pocket._

_'...The forest... forest...'_

_You forced the pin into the lock, jiggling and feeling your way though the lock. With almost no time lost, the lock clicked open with satisfaction. You stuck the pin into your hair instead of your pocked before pushing the door open. You grabbed a glove hidden within the cart before leaving it outside as you slipped in, closing the door behind you._

_'...Home... home... home...'_

_Taking a quick look around, you fitted the fabric to your hand. You swiped a hand over the screen embedded into the wall, turning on the lights._

_'...Get home... forest...'_

_'Eito Shimada'  was written across a plaque on an oak desk in the center of the room. Files piled neatly against the wood, others filed away in cabinets. You already knew your way around the room, this not being the first time here. Soon, you began to go to work._

_'...Eliza... The forest... Home...'_

 

_'...But what would you choose...?'_

 

You're eyes shot open. You lay in your plain, single sized mattress. The gray blanket lay draped over you loosely. It seems clear to you that you began to get physical in your sleep. A problem you have had for as long as you could remember. You tended to act out your dreams, sometimes even talk out loud.

The window was open, a light breeze blowing the curtains delicately. Orange flowed in, indicating the sun was already setting. You could recall going to sleep soon after the meeting, which was about an hour after noon. You must have slept through the day, but it doesn't seem like you've slept for very long speaking that you have been awake for three days straight.

The door handle began to click, it twisted slowly before cracking open. A familiar face of freckles peaked through the door. Upon realizing your wake, Lena threw the door open.

"Oh, love! You're awake finally!" She rushed into the room, taking a seat at the foot of your bed. She has already changed into an old t-shirt and pajama shorts. 'Future of flight: Slipstream' was read across the fabric of her shirt, a jet with a sleek azure trail followed. At least, that's what you knew it said. The majority of the design was covered by her bulky accelerator. The poor girl has to sleep in it too...

"Finally? It doesn't seem like I was asleep for long." You noted, gesturing to the window.

"You kiddin', darling? You've slept through an entire day and the majority of today as well! Doc was getting worried, if you didn't wake soon she was close to putting a tube up ya nose to feed you!" Lena made disgusted faces before putting a finger to her nose, pushing it upwards which revealed her nostrils.

"I was to do no such thing, we were simply going to wake you." Angela walked in as Lena continued to make faces at you. She held a tablet in her hand and began to type away at the holograms. "Glad you are finally awake though, we can bring food up to your room if you're feeling a little weak. I assume after that kind of nap you might struggle to walk for a little while."

You sat up, with a struggle because of the soreness, but managed anyways. You pulled the blanket away from the rest of your body, revealing your legs. Your toes wiggled just fine so you decided to swing them over the bed.

Putting pressure on them, however, proved futile.

"Oi! Take it slow, love." Lena grabbed you before you could fully stand, seeing your legs wobble under you. The soreness of the muscles caused the pressure to hurt a lot more than you expected. Angela watched you with a medical eye. She pushed her glasses up higher on her nose before rubbing at the back of her head. Feeling through the roughness of the shaved undercut she held under her ponytail.

"I'll have someone bring you some dinner, don't try and get up quite yet." She ordered before taking her leave.

Lena helped you place your legs back on the bed, but she let you sit up straight on your own.

"(Y/N)? You alright?" Lena asked as you stared into our hands folded together on your lap.

You didn't answer her verbally, just giving her a nod and a smile of reassurance. Your past experiences replaying in your mind. The relationship that evolved between you and Genji playing on high speed in your mind's eye. Something you've never felt or experienced until you met him, something you are sure to never get again.

 

Now you understand why the book was more than 3 pages.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys I feel like we needed some cute moments especially now since all this crap went down. I just hope this chapter was appropriate for that. Although I love this chapter, I feel like the repeating of the sentence might be annoying to some. I wanted it to be like those things where you are reading and then you are daydreaming or focusing on something else and you end up like reading the same paragraph 5 times over, because trust me yall i do that all the time. So I kind of took that and made it so that the reader read it over so many times it just unconsciously got stuck in her head like a song. That and also because I wanted to emphasize the connection between the story's protagonist "Eliza" with reader. Idk why I just thought it'd be a cool concept.
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Slight gore + blood; body image issues
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy! Don't forget to leave in the comments what you think!

Sweat pooled in the creases of your forehead, sticking to the hairs of your brows and lashes. Your headband which pushed back any unwanted hair was soaking, causing it to slip back and release a few strands. Your breathing labored against the sports bra that held your chest close. You rubbed gently at the bounds around your knuckles, the originally white bandages has darkened and even yellowed with the sweat that soaked into them. The dirt from the punching bag has collected into the cotton, now itching at the skin under.

You began to gather yourself again, raising your fists to match your lowered jaw. Your legs spreading in a stance in front of the inanimate sand bag in front of you.

_One, two, three._

You took a deep breath in before slicing the air between you and the bag with your fist. The force of your punches causing the leather to strain, the bag bounced backwards with each strike. You huffed out air with each raise of your arm, the stamina draining.

_Again! One, two, three._

Despite your lungs protests, you kept striking the punching bag. The chain twisted as you kept hitting causing it to spin. But you continued. Sweat trickled down your neck, into the dip of your collar bone. The shorts loosely fitted on your hips began to dip lower as you exerted yourself. The fabric tickled your knees with each bounce, the stretchy waist band struggled to hug your body.

You stopped once you began taking steps forward. The bag swayed with such distance to cause you to stop. Taking your bandaged hands, you pulled it back to a stationary position before taking this moment to catch your breath.

_Too sloppy._

Your lungs burned, but once more you lowered your head and raised your hands. You brought your feet to the proper stance, hopping lightly from one sole to the other.

_One, two, three._

Your hands met the punching bag with an extreme force. As if your knuckles were bullets, they continually struck the leather. With so much power in your hands, they began to take a toll on the muscles of your arms. They strained, cramped, and slowed as you forced them to work. Your mind yelling to work harder, but they refused to listen.

_Faster!_

You struck again and again, but they only slowed into disappointment.

Eventually, your arms fell to the side. No longer were you able to contract the muscles, so you let them rest against your hips. You swayed backwards, giving yourself space from the swinging punching bag. The heartbeat behind your breast bone refused to settle. Your lungs struggling against the pressure of your ecstatic heart.

"You shouldn't push yourself so hard."

You swung your head behind you at the voice. Leaning against the gym doorway was a familiar metallic shoulder. Mauve synthetic muscle peeked under the plates of armor as Genji continued to stare at you.

"How hard I push myself isn't a concern of yours." You shot back before walking towards the only exit, which to happened to be blocked by the Omnic. Omnic? No, that isn't quite right. Perhaps cyborg would be the better description. That is, if he still has any human left in him.

You stopped by one of the nearby benches to collect the towel and water bottle before resuming your path towards the door. However, your outstretched hand held a sight tint of color.

"It is if you are hurting yourself." You ignored the remark. You kept your eyes on your feet as you walked towards the door. Your bare feet patted against the sleek, cushioned floors. The towel wiped away any unnecessary moisture from your face and torso, the exposed skin welcoming the cotton.

You continued your path towards the door, but was all too familiarly stopped by a body.

"Let me through." Your voice monotone, eyes to the ground. You didn't want to interact with him any more than you needed to. As shown in the past few weeks of being here, this has to be the closest you have had to a conversation with him.

"You're bleeding." Genji stood his ground in front of the door, but nodded his helm towards the hand holding the towel. Reluctantly, you looked back down towards it, the tint of color now soaking into crimson. The bandage around the knuckle now feeling heavy with moisture.

"I'll take care of it." The interaction now becoming awkward as you try to cover your hand with the towel. However Genji still refused to move away from the door. "What do you want?"

"To help you." Genji replied with little thought. Being unable to see his features, you had no idea what his intentions were. Even his voice, hidden behind electronics and the light hum of processing was hard to attune.

The statement, although simple, caught you off guard. It still held the same sincerity of the younger version you were familiar with, but the maturity of a man you have never known. Now that you think about it, Genji seems to have matured quite a lot since last being with him. During missions, meetings, and just simple interactions he doesn't act like the 25 year old man-child that you were used to. He sits in silence, speaks with sophistication, and -as far as you know- doesn't play around anymore. He seemed to have the greatest wake up call of the century. Exactly what that was, you have no idea.

Still stuck in your thoughts, Genji cautiously reached a hand out towards your own covered one. You didn't notice, so you didn't object. Even with the movement of pulling the towel away, your thoughts still held your attention. The movie playing in your head of the boy you fell in love with all those years ago. The little moments of laughter and jokes, even of just spending serene moments in time of silence. The simple pleasures of being in each others presence. Of course, all the time of getting in trouble soon made their debut in your head. Pranks and trouble making was no stranger to the two of you. You were stuck in your own head, no longer part of the physical world around you as memories flooded in in a wave of fantasy.

Down until the very moment he touched you for the first time in 10 years.

There was a sudden jolt of energy, the moment his synthetic fingers made contact with your own skin you were sucked back into the dark vacuum of reality. Your eyes shot back up from the ground to his arm, which was now twisting your own hand to release the cotton. The sudden action caused you to react defensively, instantly wrapping your own fingers around his prosthetic wrist and pulling away from your still bandaged hand. Genji released in an instant, realizing how rabid the situation has turned.

"(Y/N)?" Genji tried calling, but none of it got to you. An almost animalistic side to you blocked any form of reason from your mind as you continued to squeeze the appendage between your fingers. Water from the now spilled bottle pooled at your feet, soaking up the bare skin and pooling between your toes. Your breathing began to heave, your body frozen in equal parts shock and fear. No longer were you in your own body anymore.

_You sit on your knees, holding a disfigured, burnt body against your own. His head laying against you as you rock back in forth, tears falling against the remainder of his face._

_"I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..."_

_Blood soaked into your clothes. Even your hands which caressed the mauled cheeks of the figure in your arms was covered in the hauntingly deep red of liquid. You couldn't tell anymore what remained, what ever parts of his face which wasn't obviously cut open was covered in the surrounding blood._

_Yet, he smiled up at you._

_"What are you sorry for, sweetheart?" The boy in your arms struggled to speak. Liquid was filling his lungs, the motions of moving his lips visibly pained him. Which caused you to whimper out more, tears continuing to fall._

_"I-I didn't mean for this to happen, Genji. I'm so sorry." You hiccuped and stuttered. You refused to take your eyes off the remaining features of his face. Both eyes held a pool of blood, the shocking brightness of his gray eyes has now dimmed to a muted black. His smile only held up one half, the other side sliced straight down from his lower lip down into his jawline. One of his famous dimples no longer existed on his cheek._

_"God, you are so beautiful."  Genji ignored your statement, simply choosing to stare into your now tear stained features. He looked over every detail, the way your lips were tinted. How you chewed on them in an effort to slow your hiccups. Your eyebrows pushed together as you continued to cry. Then, he reached your eyes. Even though they are glossed over, he finds comfort in them. His hidden fear now washed away in their reassuring gaze. He found peace in them, acceptance._

_Painfully, he raised an almost blackened hand to your face. But before he could strain himself further, you brought your own hand to it to bring it back down. The moment your fingers touched his hand, he found himself no longer feeling the pain anymore. His body synchronizing with your own essence._

_"I love you, (Y/N). You know that right?" Genji spoke with even more of a struggle. His words began to morph together, drowning under his own blood._

_"I know, I love you too, Genji. I love you so much." Your breathing picked up again. You lifted your hand from his own to place it back against his cheek. Carefully, you lowered your own lips over his own. For a moment you hovered, unsure if it was the right thing to do in the moment. But you suddenly felt the light tug of his hand against your hair. He managed to gather the strength to raise his arm back up and was now urging you to close the distance. Not wanting him to struggle further, you gave into the weight of his hand._

_Your lips met his bloodied ones, his showed almost no movement as you simply placed yours against his. His lips were cold, even the blood that escaped his body held no warmth. You struggled to keep yourself as composed as possible as you held onto your lover. An inevitability around the corner._

_"I'm so sorry..."_

"(Y/N)? Can you hear me?" Genji called once more, snapping you from the darkest depths of your memories. You found yourself still holding onto his wist, the pressure cutting off circulation to your fingers. In one motion, you released him and brought your hand back down to your side. You feet felt cold, and taking a look down you noticed a puddle around them. It seeped up to Genji's armored pads.

"S-Sorry..." The word distasteful on your tongue. You simply pushed Genji aside to force yourself past him. The floor now going from padding to solid gray linoleum.

You found yourself rushing down the hall of one of the many buildings in the compound. You weren't sure of where you were going, you just kept walking. You wanted to be as far away as possible, from what you weren't exactly sure. Genji, the memory, yourself?

"(Y/N)! Good to see you this morning!" A booming voice caused you to stop in your tracks. You turned around, gathering yourself into the most fabricated smile you cold muster up.

"Reinhardt, always a pleasure." The giant of a man walked up to you, unaware of your current mindset. Although he meant well, you really didn't want to have this interaction at the moment. Especially in gym attire and without shoes.

"You just came from the gym, yes?" He questioned before clapping a large hand onto your shoulder. "Very good! Getting ready for the mission today, I assume?" He asked once more before even letting you answer. The pair of you began walking down the hall, well from your perspective you were being dragged. But walking seems like the more polite description.

"Something like that." You answered, still being led by the German giant. Although outside his armor, he still was quite the intimidating man. The standard Overwatch t-shirt barely fit his large stature, along with the padded compression pants.

You two continued the small talk, waving past the members you walked by. He seems to be leading you towards the mess hall, since it was just around the time breakfast was being served.

"Symmetra! Dear, you'll be joining us as well?" Reinhardt called to the woman in question. She turned from her conversation with a certain junker.

"If you mean for the mission, of course. However if you are asking for me to eat with you two then I am afraid I have already had my meal." She replied with perfect enunciation. Her sophistication has yet to cease to amaze you. Junkrat stood behind her, his height hidden behind his hunched over form. He gave you a quick wink as your eyes met.

"Such a shame! We'll be seeing you this afternoon then!" Reinhardt finished giving her a quick wave. You decided to give her one as well, but when Symmetra's eyes met your still exposed body, she faltered. Her hand was left in the air as she scrunched her brows in concern. You stopped your wave midway, giving her a questioning look.

"Symm, you're staring." Junkrat tugged lightly at the girl's arm, grabbing her attention.

"Oh, yes, I-I apologize." Her right hand ghosted over her prosthetic. She looked back at Junkrat, forcing her eyes off you. You took this as a signal to keep following Reinhardt who had already made his way towards the mess hall doors.

Now being self conscious, your hand reached up to trace one of the many scars across your body.

You continued to walk, but with a hand covering the majority of the largest one. A long, diagonal line across your stomach. One scar you never knew the origin of. You're body was riddled with them, a few you knew the back story and every detail. Even down to the socks you were wearing that day. But there were a few, some of the more gruesome ones you had no idea how they got there. Jesse used to come up with stories for you when you were little; like you were a crime-stopping sheriff saving a whole town from a bunch of scumbag outlaws. The scar across your stomach was from you fighting off their leader, a sword bearer that was planning on taking over the world and the people. To which you defeated, but took your memory in the process.

That's what you believed in, until you grew up.

The older you got, the more questions you asked.

_What about on my back? My legs have them too, where did they come from?_

Jesse one day, couldn't think of any more stories. He gave in, telling you the truth: He didn't know where they came from. The day he found you was the day he found them. Having to take care of you, which included bathing and clothing you, he noticed your small body covered in them. Mostly being in your torso, they were easy to hide.

But again, as you grew older, you didn't hide them. Even when you were working in the Shimada house, a majority of the people there knew about them. Genji, Hanzo, and of course Kyo. After giving people too many "I don't know"s they decided to stop asking about them. Acted as if they didn't exist, to which you were grateful for.

"Finally! A nice warm meal to start the day!" Reinhardt boomed as he held the door open for you. He was one of the few Overwatch members to not ask about your body. Perhaps it was because of his own scar adorning his features. Blackwatch members all asked you once you joined all those years ago. Even arriving here, wearing a pair of shorts one day or simply walking around in your gym attire prompted questioning. You didn't mind the curiosity, in fact it was amusing to see the looks on people's faces when you told them your answer.

But today was a first.

You have never seen the type of reaction Symmetra gave you today. Curiosity, yes. Even a little staring, of course. But never so much as her reaction, one you can't even put a word on. Disgust? Fear? The way she held her own arm, was it remembrance?

"Why don't you get us seated, (Y/N). I'll get the food." Reinhardt gave you a good pat on the back once more, bringing you back to reality. He has still yet to be aware of your current state. You gave him a nod before sitting down in the farthest table, away from the majority of the crowd.

People tried greeting you, but you felt as if the eyes were scrutinizing your body. With every "hello" you simply walked past. Finding your seat in the deepest corner. You even brought up your hands across as much of your torso as you could cover as you settled into your chair. The room began to squeeze around you, you felt as if everyone was staring right into you. The small talk has subsided in your mind, all that could be heard was the questioning of your body.

_Why is she all cut up like that? Does she think we would want to see that? She should wear a shirt. Maybe because she was picked up off the street she doesn't know any real manners._

The voices, they are consuming you.

Just like in your nightmares, they take away what little confidence in yourself you have left. They pick and chew at the mindset you have built for yourself and replace it with a hatred that has been clawing from the back of your throat for years. Your hands found their way to your ears, trying to block them. Even in a way hiding from your team in the room around you.

"Sheriff (L/N), mornin'."

A plate was placed in front of you. The sleek, western accent pried you from your thoughts. Your hands softened from their place on the sides of your head.

"What's the bust for today? Murderers? Thieves? You got any bounties for me?" Jesse continued. The childhood story now forming in your mind. He took his seat and simply placed his weaved hands against the table. You could feel his eyes on you, reassuringly.

"G-Got a train to stop today..." You continued with a struggle. The act now coming back to you. "50 grand to stop a bunch of outlaws from delivering a bomb..." You offered.

"Whoo! That's a lot for some measly bomb, ain't it?" He pressed on, prying your thoughts from whatever darkness you crawled out of. This time you brought your arms back down on the table. Your eyes continued to stare into your stomach, however.

"A job for no other, M-Mister McCree. Only you can stop it." You voice was still faltering, but you continued to go along with the story. Jesse reached out with a larger hand, covering your own.

"Now, I reckon you could do it with one hand tied behind your back. This one right there proves it." Jesse reached over across the table and gently ran a finger over your side. A small, yet still prominent hook-shaped scar was left in his trail. You watched as Jesse rose from his seat taking a walk around the table.

"This one here says you could do it one one hand  _and_ blind folded." His fingers ghosted over another, just below the belly button. A small puncture to the skin, leaving a light remnant.

You began to smile at each description he added. He was knelt in front of you, poking and running over the imperfect skin of your stomach. Adding a new characteristic to each.

"This one is with both shoe laces tied 'gether... And that one's with your underwear outside your pants..." You began to let out a smile as he continued. His flesh hand running over your skin, while his metal prosthetic held onto your hand. You watched over him, his hat being on the table made it easier for him to look up at you.

"That one I got with my hands tied behind my back, blind folded, my hair on fire, and riding a unicycle." You finished the fabrication as he reached for another mark. Jesse paused to look up at you. He watched as you attempted to hold in your laughter, but with him releasing a bellowing laugh, you let out a chuckle.

"Hair on fire? Really now?" He rested his arms against your legs as you nodded. You felt like a little kid again with him comforting you. He always knew how to bring you out of your darkest thoughts.

"What is this I hear of hair on fire?! I thought I told the weasel not to play with pyrotechnics inside the buildings!" Reinhardt had returned with two trays, setting the smaller portions with you and the much fuller plate in front of his own seat. "Junkrat! I will turn you into wurst if I see you with explosives indoors!" He continued to yell. You tried to calm him down by calling to him, but his own voice completely obliterated yours.

"I ain't explodin' nothin' in here! Symmetra took away all me toys!" Junkrat poked a head through the now open double doors. The people around the room began to bring their attention to the surrounding commotion.

However, despite the mistake in the situation, his hair did have a tinge of smoke rising from them.

"What is that I see then?! Torbjörn! My hammer!" Reinhardt slammed heavy fists against the table top, shaking everything on the surface. He began making his way towards the exit, yelling more about Junkrat bringing in explosives. You sat in muffled silence with Jesse as the two of you struggled to hold in laughter. The situation taking a quick and comical turn.

"Shouldn't we say something?" You asked the cowboy in front of you. He simply nodded his head as he rose from his knelt position.

"Don't think it'll help much, darlin'." He grabbed his hat, placing it back on his head. That was, until you rose and snatched it back off.

"What'd I tell you about wearing this indoors?" You placed it back down on the table while he rolled his eyes.

"What're you, my ma?" He asked, grabbing the hat again. He simply held it in his hands as he walked back around the table, taking a seat in front of his plate.

"No, if I was I'd tell you to cut your hair and shave that beard too." You gave him a sarcastic smirk, he simply rubbed at his chin in an effort to mock you.

 

The two of you sat together, finishing the meal. Reinhardt has yet to return but you have heard small explosions and yells outside from time to time. You could have even sworn you heard one of his signature firestrikes go off as you picked at the remainder of your food.

Luckily, both you and Jesse had finished the meal when the call came in.

"Agents on duty for tonight's recon mission please report immediately to the eastern hangar. Bring equipment and any mission necessities with you." Athena called out through the intercom. Her voice urgent as the room went silent. A few figures; Angela and Pharah rose from their seats at the call. You gave Jesse a look of concern before you rose with him. Your feet still bare was now dried as you walked along side him to the hangar. Luckily for you, that hangar was closest to the operations locker room where your equipment lay.

"Why do you think they called us in so early?" You asked as the pair of you walked.

"'Dunno. This happened sometimes back when Overwatch was an actual thing. Didn't think twice about it happening now." He replied honestly. You simply nodded in understanding as the two of you walked. You've been on a few missions now, but everything was timely and thought out. Never an out of the blue situation like this.

 

No longer did you pay attention to the marks on your body, only to the mission ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I actually like the beginning of this chapter but then idk what it turned into like, I feel it was all rushed. But I didn't really have another situation planned out for the whole scars thing so I just put it in there anyways. And I know, some of you may be thinking about the whole thing previously with Genji revealing your stomach. Well I wanted to put that scar thing there but I wanted it to stay nice and fluffy, so I kind of put it here instead. I also tried to explain why he didnt mention anything when he blew into your belly button by saying he already knew about it. I hope that wasnt cheesy or really awkwardly, in fact I hope this entire chapter wasn't awkward. So expect edits to this chapter later on to fix some of the interactions.
> 
> thank you for reading and I love reading all of your comments so dont forget to leave one! I also appreciate critique it makes me a much better writer so please if you have anything to say about my writing and how I can improve do tell me in the comments!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Blood
> 
> IM SO SORRY I MISSED AN UPDATE!! I swear I'll make it up!! But thank you all for being patient with me!! This chapter was a little different for me, but I hope it's for the better! 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy, dont forget to leave a comment on what you think!

It's cold, even during the warmer months. But then again, this is the Siberian wilderness; nature doesn't exactly like to follow the rules here.

You were alone, bleeding, and cold in places you didn't think you could  _get_ cold. Being slightly buried under the falling snow, you took the time wondering what went wrong in this simple recon mission. Was it on Athena's part? She debriefed during the excruciatingly long four hour flight that she detected more movement from the attacking Omnium. Which so happened to be the reason behind the mission. However, it was thought to be defeated by Russian forces. So any sort of sign of it being live was reason enough to push the mission forward. Technically, you couldn't blame a program for missing human malice. Someone you could blame would be Talon. They ended up being behind the Omnium sending out a sort of trigger, something only an A.I like Athena could pick up.

Or was it on you? It was your job to scout the forest and deem the path safe to traverse. Instead, you led the group to a well articulated trap. Talon agents surrounding all of you, forcing the group of seven to split apart. 

Your arm still tingles from the harsh grasp of Jesse's metal prosthetic, pulling you from danger. Genji spent his energy trying to disperse the hostiles as best as he could, with the cowboy sharp shooter covering for him from his post over you. Symmetra struggled under the weight of her heavy coat to form the hardlight from her palm into defensive turrets along the trees. Beams of azure heat fried into any assailant who dared to get to close.

Reinhardt was left with his shield up, covering for the two most mobile members. Angela and Pharah were messily left with the task of returning to the Orca in an effort to bring back help.

Little did you know at the time, help would never arrive for you.

You let out a wheeze of a laugh as flakes of white continued to bury you. The snow already doing you the favor of creating a casket of chalk.

"How poetic..." You breathed out. Staring into the very tops of the trees above you. What little sun was left during this day was covered even further by clouds and leaves. It was somewhat dark now, but the brightness of the snow offered little comfort to you.

You closed your eyes, playing back the ordeal in the back of your lids.

How desperately Jesse used his own body to cover yours, what little it ended up doing. The shots from his revolver so close to your ear could still be heard ringing in your drums. The flashes of emerald from Genji's armor blinded your vision, the swiftness of his movement left a trail of light only to be gone by the time of his next action. Blue began fading in and out as the woman next to you desperately fumbled with her fingers, stretching and meshing a new frame together: a teleporter. You remember her mumbling and cursing under her breath with each failed attempt. One wrong point on the plane of her palm and the frame would collapse. The delicacy of her creation required the utmost of concentration, something this current situation was taking away.

You watched helplessly as shaking hands continued to pull, push, and fail. Jesse began to move from his position in front of you, seeing now that Talon agents faltered under the cyborgs wrath. Shuriken flew from victim to victim, lessening the numbers. But not nearly enough to feel even remotely safe.

Symmetra continued,memory recalling you uttering encouraging words. You even took off your own coat to stack it on top of her, which left you with only your newly fashioned combat suit. Gray, nanofibric kevlar was weaved delicately into microscopic diamonds along the majority of your body. But despite the unbelievable protection from most forms of strikes or ballistics, it did nothing to protect you from the cold. The small strips of black low-friction cloth that would cover joints and other miscellaneous areas was the closest thing to warmth you could get. Luckily for you, Athena had advised you wearing the standard black undersuit to provide for an extra layer of protection. It was currently the only thing stopping you from freezing completely.

You couldn't feel your toes anymore. Even more so, your left leg was completely numb to any sensation. One of your harnesses was ripped off from your back and used to stop the bleeding of your leg. Pulsations could no longer be felt at the makeshift clamp.

As you lay in complete silence, only the faint whisper of your heart struggling to pump could be felt between your ribs. The only sign your body gave to continue fighting.

You went back into your mind, the events leading up to your current situation.

You remember bullets whizzing past you, striking your surroundings. The panic it caused for Symmetra, and what little you could do for her. The slicing of Genji's wakizashi could be heard, metal on flesh. The pounding of Jesse's hand on his revolver's hammer sounded nice to your ears at first, but when the shots kept going and less bodies were falling, it truly scared you. Missing wasn't in Jesse's cards, so something had to be  _preventing_  them from taking the hits. 

From the last few moments of the four of you together, the events all rushed in with milliseconds in between. You remember the bright blue gateway open with a comforting warmth, the path was open. Although Symmetra urged you to go in first, you had caught the slight glimmer of silver approach from the shadows behind her. A man of quite the stature approached with a large, almost mythical weapon. The famous Volskaya particle cannon glimmered under his grip. A circle of energy twisted and twirled within the center, the bright lavender glow began to charge as he held the weapon.

From what you can recall, you threw yourself at the man with no regard to your own safety. Commands were being thrown around between all of you. Jesse and Genji needed you through the portal, but you yelled back to get Symmetra out first. Her desperate calls of being able to only hold it for so long caused the panic to worsen. Despite extreme reluctance, you watched between strikes and dodges of Jesse finally giving into your commands. He managed to get an arm around the flailing woman, her screams continued to call for your return.

Until silence surrounded them as Jesse pushed the both of them into the blue haven.

You were left with the monstrosity of a human in front of you. The laser cutter burned whenever it got too close. And being too far caused the man to alternate into a more explosive form of firing. Neither option seemed to be in your favor. Your options seemed little until familiar flash of green came into contact with the mountain you were fighting with. 

Your vision began to fade as the details came to you. The memory continued in a haze of fog.

All seemed well, only a few goons from Genji's earlier rampage struggled to continue their mission. After a small skirmish, surprisingly the giant seemed to falter, unable to hold up the cannon any longer. He managed to hold off most forms of attacks by surrounding himself in a clear, pink tinted bubble. Leaving him momentarily impervious. But it would only last for a few seconds before needing to recharge, giving Genji just enough time to disable the attacker.

You had once again falsely deemed it safe to leave. Genji stayed by your side as the two of you reached the still functioning portal. A one way ticket to safety.

But the almost traumatic hiss of a charge caused you to falter.

Upon turning, the mountain man had managed to turn the nozzle of the cannon towards the two of you and charged the alternate fire as he lay on the ground. Snow melted around the weapon, heat gathering within the spiral of purples and whites.

In a very _very_ stupid moment of desperation, you had pushed Genji.

Even though your body lacked the weight compared to his metallic armor, pure adrenaline managed to help you gather the strength to push the unaware ninja into the cyan portal. His body wordlessly swooshed into safety, leaving you flat on your stomach.

Painfully inches away from home.

The cannon fired, violet light shown behind you. You simply lay in the snow in acceptance. You remember the head of your shadow flicker and shrink as the ball of energy inched it's way towards you. For some strange reason in that moment, all you could think of was how it was a shame you weren't able to try Rikimaru's ramen one last time before your demise.

But as the heat rises, the light flickered, and the ramen craving arose, a blue mesh flickered over the gloved fingers of your hand. Before you could even process the sudden azure, the particle cannon's explosive finally ended it's split second journey. The time only ever being a moment, felt like eternity to you. Blue shattered around your body, but your left leg took the brunt of the impact. The explosion being much bigger than you had seemed to experience, caused the fragile frame of the teleporter to first fall apart and then disintegrate into it's natural state of light. You still feel the light cuts of your cheeks from when your body flung forward into the momentary shattering of hardlight. The skin eased when whatever shards of shrapnel dissolved into your features.

You opened your eyes once more. Snow has now covered your legs completely and part of your torso. Your arms are lifeless against your sides.

"Ramen... Ramen..." You mumbled. The phantom smell now hitting your nostrils.

The burning sensation from your leg is still etched into your mind. The feeling of burnt skin and shattered bones was intensified as you desperately hobbled away as far as you could carry yourself. Which ever Talon agents were left spent their time assisting the cannon wielder. You remember almost crying out as you tripped over unconscious bodies. Your leg being unable to hold the weight any longer. 

Once finding safety between the trees, you took the time to rip apart your harness to tie it around your leg. The bleeding subsided, because of the harness or because you simply bled to much you weren't sure. But you most definitely felt the effects as you continued walking, up until the point of your collapse in the cold, bloodied snow.

Which is where you are now. You haven't moved in who knows how long. Nature is already digesting you, pulling you into it's grasp. There was nothing you could do but let it take you back into it's maze of life and death. You've cheated it so many times before, maybe you just weren't as lucky this time.

 

It's cold, even during the warmer months.

 

"...Here? The snow is covering it."

Voices could be heard approaching. Even with your curiosity, you didn't bother to turn. You simply listened.

"Valentin, what if it was just the hunters again. I told you those wolves kept bothering the village." A female voice could be heard, doubt plaguing their words.

"Hunters wouldn't bother with so many shots, Aleksandra. And look! here's the trail again!" The male companion replied, much closer this time. You could here the crunching of shoes, even the scuffling as they pushed away the snow. "My... You think a wolf would bleed this much, eh?"

More scuffling could be heard. You lay heavy lidded and tired. At this point, sleep was a blink away from consuming you. In the far reaches of your mind, you knew you had to scream. You needed to grab their attention, but you simply lacked the basic energy to even make a peep.

"Maybe we should get our superiors. What if this is an Omnic's doing?" The female began to sound worried. They stayed at the same distance of the last statement. Presumably inspecting the snow.

Your fingers twitched, fighting against the white sheet covering it.

"An Omnic wouldn't do this to an animal. What if someone's out here?" The male could be heard taking further steps. Not exactly in your direction but they weren't going backwards either.

More so, your hand began to rise. The snow collapsed around your fingers, falling through the gaps. 

"If someone is out here then we should definitely get a superior, we need a search team." The female shot back. Her footsteps fading away. This time, you brought every last drop of energy and adrenaline into your left arm. The blanket fully releasing itself from the muscle. Your arm shakily shot up. Unmoving and soundless, you could only hope they will turn towards your direction.

"What if it's too late, Aleksandra? Don't you want to save someone?" The male questioned. He continued taking steps in the wrong direction, but your arm held. The muscles began to shake. The cold and lack of circulation causing it to shiver.

"Of course! But what if the Omnic is still here? Then we'll both be- wait, Valentin." Your arm held, the shivers now turned into full on tremors. Crunches could be heard approaching. "ебена мать... Valentin! Come here!" Despite hearing the shouts right behind you, you continued to keep your arm up in a struggle. You were met with relief when quite the muscular arm reached out to your own. They grabbed your hand and pushed it down for you, in an effort to relax you.

Your vision faded, but a somewhat calming head of pink took up the remainder of your sight. You felt hands dig away at the snow. Russian words being thrown back and forth as the man made his way to you. Both of them paused their work once reaching the sight of your leg. From your own, rusty translation of what they were saying, you could definitely say they were somewhat surprised.

"Go! Get a head start! I'll carry her back." The pink haired woman commanded the brunet companion as she stripped of her jacket. Your cold lips faintly tightened into a small, almost unnoticeable smile as she covered the majority of you with her coat. Now the muscles really made their appearance in the gaps of your vision. A blur of a tattoo could be seen, but exactly what it was couldn't be deciphered.

The crunches of the man made it's away ahead. The footsteps faded into nothing as the large woman picked you up with ease. The warmth of her body was beyond welcoming to you. Your cheek pressed against her shoulder, absorbing what little you could. While the heat from her arms worked to bring back heat into the back of your knees and shoulders as she carried you. Her heavy fur coat did it's job of keeping the warmth trapped, treating you like a perfectly content oven.

Now that you were lifted, you could feel the wetness of your own blood pooled into the material of your suit. Most likely now dripping along your saviors clothes.

With each drop, the more you drifted. Your eyes struggled to stay awake as you were being carried to safety. Not once did you feel the woman struggle as your body began to drift into unconsciousness.

"Try and stay awake, ma'am." Her accent heavy as she spoke to you. "We're almost there." 

 

Unfortunately, your body had other plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so don't hate me for ending it there but I did it so i can make the next chapter hella long!! It's gonna be a good one! 
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed and dont forget to leave a comment on what you think!! I love reading all of them and if you have any tips to make my writing better then please do share!! 
> 
> P.S. I might make this weekend a double update to make up for missing the last weekend (all school related) and if not then definitely expect a chapter to be up during the week!! Thank you all again for waiting and I hope to see you all in the following chapters!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: blood
> 
> A quick thank you to Carmicazi for the chapter suggestions c: The ideas were amazing, love! Keep them coming!
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this reeeaaallly long chapter (took me just about every day of the week to get this written out) and don't forget to leave a comment about what you think!

Blue, only once before has the color caused so much pain.

Genji's body flung through a momentary tunnel of light before finally flinging forward and landing flat against the snow. The sudden silence caused a low hum to ring within the machinery of his ear drums. His visor adjusted accordingly, updating his HUD with a new location.

He took a moment, pushing up with his arms to take a look at his surroundings. He noticed the group of familiar faces looking to him before bringing their attention back to the portal. Before another second past, Genji lifted his body to fully face the azure gateway.

And he only spent a moment in hope, his worst nightmare being realized when the portal collapsed on itself and dissolving into the natural rays of light dispersing into the air.

The green cylinders of his shoulders popped out, a hiss of air released and sucked back in as quickly as they came out. The synthetic joints of his knuckles clenched as every possible outcome played through his mind with malicious intent. Without another second passing, he turned around to face the group members. With an almost immeasurable amount of speed, his body dashed forward slicing the air between him and the already frightened Symmetra.

"OPEN THE PORTAL,  _NOW_ _!_ " He grabbed at the woman's collar, causing a quick squeal to resonate from her. His grip tightened around the jacket, yours began to slip from it's spot around her shoulders. But before Symmetra could stutter out an answer, a metal hand clenched at Genji's muave neck and attempted to force him back.

"I suggest you let go of the girl, Genji." A click at Jesse's hip suggested the readying of his peacekeeper, but still the cyborg held on.

"G-Genji, please. I cant open it back without s-something to anchor it on!" Symmetra explained, but still the anger clouded his better judgement. Jesse's grip tightened, the metal plates on his neck softened the pressure but they wouldn't last any longer.

"Genji let her go!" Angela called from behind, too afraid of stepping closer in case he really does harm the girl. His eyes darted from within the emerald visor. Vitals flashing at an alarming rate, his cardiovascular system began to struggle under his current emotions. His limbs showing showing signs of overheating from pushing his abilities. Even his oxygen intake began to decline with each breath of malice.

Genji was forced to let go, the girl collapsing at his feet shaking. Angela used her Valkyrie to instantly reach Symmetra, checking for any signs of being injured before escorting her back to the drop ship. 

Without hesitation, Jesse used his prosthetic's enhanced capabilities to fling Genji backwards into the snow, causing him to land on his back. A revolver now kissing against the temple of his helm.

"You ever pull that shit against one of our own again, I will  **kill** you." Jesse hissed venom in his words, the sentence strewn out with no thought. Genji simply stared back, helmet covering all signs of emotion.

"You already sentenced (Y/N) to death, taking my life would not be that difficult." 

The words caused Jesse to falter, his grip loosened as his expression went from threatening to disbelief. Genji took this moment of weakness against Jesse, in an instant flipping their bodies over and removing the gun away from him completely. Jesse's famed hat flew off in response, causing his hair to collect the surrounding snow.

"You  _left_ her! You were supposed to protect her and you left her to die!" Genji pulled his own blade from his lower back. Despite being shorter, the metal still held it's intimidating sharpness. He held it against the cowboy's neck, holding him back from any forms of attack. Group members paused their intervention once realizing how dangerous the situation has turned. Reinhardt watched on with his helmet in the snow right next to Pharah's boosters.

"She told me to save Satya! I know my girl and she can take care of herself! You really think she's going to die out there without a fight?!" Jesse spit back. The sword now pressing dangerously against his neck. His neck already felt the light pinch of skin breaking, but he refused to back down.

"You believe I am ignorant of that? It matters not that she will fight back, but that she cannot fight forever! You didn't see what you left her with!" His throat now began to sting. A thin red line forming under the metal. Anger fueling the pressure of the blade, but your image resonating through Genji's head held him back. What would you think of him if you had caught him in this situation?

"Genji." 

The man paused his breathing, his hand began to soften, as if trying to revert the act he was caught in. The voice spoke with ease from behind Genji. Metal clanged against the hangar doors of the Orca before softening into the snow. Footsteps inched closer and closer to Genji, and although he knew what was coming, he refused to acknowledge the presence just yet.

"Why do you turn to violence as a resolution? Especially when (Y/N) needs you now the most." Genji pulled his blade back slightly, giving Jesse room to breathe. But as the soft, robotic voice spoke, he kept his position atop the cowboy.

"Master, what good can I do if she is already dead?" Genji's voice struggled. The words forming with reluctance and disgust. The Omnic took another step forward in an effort to bring Genji's attention up to him.

"Now, she has quite the fire burning in her soul. I doubt the efforts of such disastrous beings will have the ability to put it out." Zenyatta answered, Genji took a moment to absorb his words. Thoughts running through his head, contradicting everything he has said in this past few minutes.

Genji turned. The other members watched closely as Zenyatta spoke to him. Reinhardt and Pharah seem at the ready to intervene if necessary while Angela and Symmetra stayed within the Orca with Winston. Yet they still were able the peek outside to watch the events unfold.

"It was your vow, however, all those years ago to keep that flame burning." Zenyatta nodded his head to his student, his voice as soft as ever. "Do not leave 10 years of dedication to doubt, my student."

He turned back and looked down at Jesse below him. His throat displayed a clean, thin line of red. His blade broke the skin across his adam's apple and shifted with each breath and swallow. Without saying a word, he rose from his position and sheathed his wakizashi. Reinhardt and Pharah equally let go of their breath and softened their guard, but kept an eye on Genji as he walked to the forest entrance. Jesse rose from the ground, turning his head painfully in the direction of the cyborg.

"Where ya off to now, Jedi?" Jesse questioned sarcastically, bringing a hand to his neck. He began to pick himself up to start catching up. However, not before being stopped by a concern Angela.

 

"To kindle the fire."

 

* * *

 

 

_"Jezze! Look!" Chubby fingers held up a piece of paper, displaying the finest work of art no other 8 year old could ever create._

_"Wow, Darlin'! Look's like we got an aspiring Mozart here." You let out a giggle with the historical figure Jesse choose. You would think a 15 year old would know his artists._

_"Jezze, Mozart made music. Not paintings." Despite being so young, your knowledge of the world was undeniably impressive. Although being told your physical capabilities were your talent, it all seemed to lead back to your incredible learning abilities instead._

_"What now? Well, y'know what I mean." Jesse grabbed the drawing. It displayed colorful stick figures holding hands in a flowery field. The taller figure kept a familiar cowboy hat atop his head while the shorter one sported a poorly colored sunflower dress. Those are sunflowers, right?_

_"This is real nice, sweet pea! Why don't you go hang it up with the rest?" Jesse gave you back the paper, allowing you to to cheerfully take it back and scurry off into one of the many tents within the camping grounds._

_You maneuvered through a multitude of people and vehicles, greeting each person as you ran by. A few stopped you to see what you were running for and even gave you compliments on your drawing. Despite living with with quite the intimidating group of men, they all treated you like a daughter. But even then, it was only because you did your part within the gang. Freeloaders were never welcomed here, no matter what age._

_Finally, you reached your designated tent. The shared space between you and Jesse was small, but enough to sleep comfortably. Upon entering, you immediately dashed for the farthest wall, tens of different drawings were taped against a string. Allowing it to display freely within the tent. You grabbed a chair and roll of clear tape before sticking it around the string and onto the paper. The entire piece bounced for a moment, before flowing freely with the rest of your "art"._

_You stood proud for a moment, gazing over the works you have collected over the year. The older ones were already deteriorating into a yellowish brown. The wax from the crayons began to seep outside the lines from the heat. While the newer additions held perfectly towards the front in all of their stick-figure glory._

_After taking a moment to appreciate your contributions to the fine arts, you began to exit the tent to reunite yourself with Jesse. But you were stopped once you took the first step outside._

_"Sweetheart, I need you to come with me." One of the elder members stood outside the tent, as if waiting for your exit. He was a polite gentlemen, treating you more like a child than a member._

_But of course, when the time called._

_"What for, Bobby?" The white haired man held out a hand to you, which you took without second thought._

_"(L/N) needs you for another run." Bobby explained. Sharing a similar name with the gang leader meant next to nothing for you two, you simply adopted it after the group realized you didn't own one._

_You simply nodded your head. Following the path Bobby lead you on, taking you straight to the leader's trailer. This sort of situation wasn't new to you, for the year you have been here it's been almost a weekly deal. The payment for eating their food and living in their protection. And despite being put to work, you never complained. Living on the street was far worse than ever being here, sleeping under a roof with a full stomach every night._

_Bobby reached the trailer steps. Letting go of your hand and climbing up the stairs. He gave the thin door a good pounding before reaching his hand back to stroke his aged beard, the white hairs meshing together with each pass. You took a look at the trailer, following the cracks in the metal walls and the rusting of the bolts and screws. Mud has dried towards the bottom half of the vehicle, leaving permanent stains on the sides._

_Quickly, the door flung open revealing a short and shriveled man. His eyes darted cautiously between you and Bobby before letting out a grunt and stepping aside. His hunched over position left an intimidating mark on your image of him. To which Bobby was aware, and gladly kept his own body in between you and the troll of a man._

_"He's in the back room, Bob." The man spouted, following closely behind the two of you._

_"Gotcha, Ernie." Bobby replied, pushing you ahead to add more distance._

_The three of you maneuvered through the tight hallway, passing a few compact rooms. Despite the conditions of the exterior, the inside of the trailer was kept quite clean and organized. (L/N) never did like the clutter._

_You reached another door, to which this time Bobby opened without knocking. Revealing quite the large room filled with a wooden table and various cabinets. Documents were filled in the appropriate seconds around the table, and even neat piles were stacked along the dressers and filing cabinets._

_Two members stood tall in front of the table, their backs turned to you and Bobby. While in front of them sat a younger gentleman. A brunet in their late 20's paused his discussion to look up at the new visitors. To which a large smile began to form upon his realization._

_"(Y/N)! Darlin' why don't you come over here." The man held out his arms as you walked around the circular table. Hesitation and vigilance fought against your proper training of how to interact with the man before you._

_Do not break eye contact._

_Do not speak when you are not spoken to._

_Do not question him._

_And most importantly: Do not, under any circumstance, show any signs of fear._

_(L/N) gave you a smile before reaching an arm around your shoulders, pulling you close into a tight hug._

_"Alright sweetie, y'know what I called y'here for?" He asked as you struggled against the man's side. You looked up at the two men before you before turning your head to the leader. He kept his toothy smile as he awaited your answer. A gold tooth seemingly stealing your attention._

_"I don't know, z-sir." You answered truthfully, although struggling under the "s" sound. The man simply nodded his head before loosening his grip and turning to the table. A map of one of the upper class shopping districts was displayed on a cheap hologram. The blues faded together and left smudged lines instead of distinct borders. (L/N) held out a finger and pointed out one of the smaller shops, a jewelry store towards the bottom corner of the map._

_"I need ya to go in there and do your thing, (Y/N)." He tapped against the screen, the store rippled under each press. "Can ya do that for me?" He turned his attention back to you. To which you immediately followed with looking back at him. You simply nodded, before correcting yourself and giving him a verbal answer._

_"Yes, I can do that." You took your time with the words, to prevent any forms of stuttering again. You even gave him a forced smile, attempting to show a more polite response._

_"Good, good. If you do well then that'll mean we can all go back home, darlin'. Back to New Mexico."_ _The man nodded with his words before releasing his grip around your shoulders and turning to the men in front of you._

_"You two take her down there in an hour. You work under her word, don't do anything until she tells you to." His tone of voice changed from polite and warmhearted to stoic and cold. The men both gave their "Yessir" in response, before being dismissed._

_"Bobby, you can take her back." (L/N) waved his hand, beckoning your dismissal. Without another word, you walked back around the table. Before Bobby can even offer his hand, you wrapped your small stubby fingers around his slender, aged ones. He took a moment to look back down at you, but you simply stared ahead as you walked back out._

_He never bothered to ask if you were okay after these meetings, no matter how hard your hands shook._

 

"...Prep OR, get O neg in here stat!"

Your eyes opened momentarily. Bright lights blinded your sight, but a gloved hand could be seen holding a clear bag above you.

"Cut through the suit, now!"

Voices were yelling at each other, while your body rocked with motion. Were you being carried? No, not anymore.

"Doctor, she's waking up."

Another prominent voice spoke next to you. They were running, the people next to you were all running. You were on a stretcher, the humming of the hover technology could be heard under you. The warmth of their motors was felt under your back muscles.

"Get the anesthesiologist in here, Galina."

Doors were heard hitting the walls, the force of all the personnel running through the halls caused for no pause in procedure. Each time you breathed, the rasp of a mask could be heard on your face. The straps holding it against you was now being felt against your cheeks.

"I can't put her back under, she lost too much blood! Her body can't take it!"

The people around you seemed to argue, the words meshing together in your ear drums. Someone began to grab at your eyes, forcing the lids open to bring a flashlight to them. Even after removing it, the after colors blinded your vision momentarily.

"Just do it! We can't operate on her when she's awake!" 

Your mask began to fill with cool air. The taste of it being metallic against your tongue.

Until finally, your eyes closed once more. Your body giving into the void of unconsciousness.

 

_"What'd you mean you're going out again? You just went on a run every day for the past week!" Jesse seemed to seethe at the news of you running another job. You sat within one of the many common areas with Bobby and Jesse._

_"This should be an easy one, McCree. (L/N) is sending out his two best with her." Bobby tried to reason, but only added to the raging fire._

_"God Dammit!" Jesse stood, kicking an empty can laying by his feet. You sat in silence, not wanting to make the situation worse. "I'm going with them."_

_"You kiddin'? As if Boss'll let ya."  Bobby let out a snort. Jesse's childish behavior proving to be more entertainment than serious protest in his eyes._

_"Why don't you talk to him, then? He listens to you." Jesse waved his hand in the general direction of the leader's trailer. As if emphasizing his point._

_"That's because there's nothin' to listen to. You think I'ma go around saying dumb shit like that, son?" Bobby leaned back in his chair, taking a sip from his stale can of beer._

_Jesse simply took a few paces around the chairs. You continued to watch his behavior in a blanket of quiet observation._

_"C'mon, man. Just let him know I won't cause any trouble. (Y/N) will work better if I'm there."  You began to play with the hem of your dress. Unsure whether or not to give your input. This was really a regular run, so it shouldn't matter if Jesse went with you or not._

_"I understand she will, but will it be necessary is the question." Bobby retorted. He stroked his beard as he went from looking at the teenage mess back to your more put together self. Jesse seemed to put more care into your hygiene than his own._

_"Please, you know I don't like her going by herself." Jesse settled back down, attempting a more sympathetic route. Bobby took a moment this time to stare down his intentions. He examined for any signs of hidden agendas or anything of the sort, but instead finding worry behind his eyes. The kid cared for you, there was no doubt._

_"A'ight. But you make a fuss and I ain't taking the blame for it, ya hear?" Bobby rose, presumably to request Jesse's involvement. Jesse seemed to brighten at the response, focusing his attention on you and giving you a warmhearted smile. To which you returned with ease._

_"Thank you, I owe ya one."_

_"Whatever."_

 

The snow has paused it's descent, but a thick blanket is still left in the wake. Steps, no matter how high Genji made them, struggled against the snow. With each press forward, a trail of disturbance and crunches were left behind. His vitals flashed with warning, the drop in temperature and the fatigue from combat is now weighing on his systems.

And yet, he continued.

Genji started where it all began by returning to the point of the ambush. Bodies littered the terrain while obvious signs of the injured escaping marked the ground. His HUD has managed to narrow the different routes to take, choosing one was of his own skill. 

A blood trail yet with narrow tracks seemed like the most plausible choice. Your figure compared to the much larger men would mean the smaller tracks had to be yours.

What worried him, however, was the amount of blood. 

If the obvious drag marks weren't clear enough, the thick crimson line weaving through the trees might as well be a neon sign pointing to you.

"Dammit..." Genji reached down, he was led to a small pool hidden behind a rock. Fabric lay in scraps, pieces of your familiar harness was left torn and discarded. 

His visor took in the information, spewing out possibilities of the torn cloth. Animals, clamp for bleeding, foliage getting caught. Genji deducted the most likely answer, gathering that the blood trail subsided from then on.

How did you travel so far? With that much blood loss, surely you would have been found lifeless much earlier on the path. Although Genji didn't want to think that way, no. He was somewhat glad he hasn't found you yet. Each obstacle on this path was another sign of life. But then again, he hasn't  _found_ you yet. Whether it worried him more or less, he didn't know.

At least, that was what he thought until he found that.

There seemed to be a hole of some sort, like someone dug into the snow. A large puddle- no, a pool of blood lay in the bottom. Deep, crimson stared back at Genji as he stood over the discovery. His visor advising to calm down, his cardiovascular system is on overdrive. Respiratory is struggling to keep up with his breathing intake. The muscles around his body struggle to read his cranial patterns, arms and legs spasm as brain waves begin to spew out to each synthetic muscle at the same time.

There were footsteps around the crevice. Two large pairs of boots dug into the snow, yours fit neither of them.

"(Y/N)..." Genji's vocal cords sounded more electronic than human, unable to match up with his intended voice.

He began to walk, but with the first step he collapsed face first into the sheets. His prosthesis no longer working for him.

"(Y/N)... (Y/N)..." Genji began to desperately crawl, fingers clamped and released against his will. All his limps now whirring against his wishes.

**WARNING: EXTREMITY MALFUNCTION**

Green letter displayed against his visor, going unnoticed.

**ADVISE CEASE OF ACTION UNTIL CALIBRATION**

Genji reached forward once more, using his dead hand to dig into the snow and pull.

**WARNING: ARTIFICIAL LIMB DISCONNECTING WITH BRACHIUM. CEASE ACTION IMMEDIATELY.**

Genji's heart pumped with an immense force, the pulse now ringing in his ears. The warning signs now flashing right in the middle of his visor.

"Please... (Y/N)..." There was no human left in his cry, brain waves completely clouded by emotion was disrupting every single artificial part of his body. His legs were straps of metal, both arms only functioned at the remainder of his human shoulders. 

 

He was nothing again. Back to the way he was when he woke up 10 years ago.

 

"Genji!" A voice yelled from behind. Genji no longer had the functionality to even turn his head in the direction. "Mein Gott..."

"Dr. Ziegler... Save her." Genji spoke once recognizing the voice. Angela's gloved hands reached around and pulled Genji on his back. Muscles still twitching with each attempt of his movement.

"What the hell happened?!" Jesse was heard catching up. Angela's Valkyrie suit left him behind. As she knelt on the ground, she placed a beacon in the snow.

"Genji, you need to calm down." Angela began to reach for his helm, but in an instant advised against it. She instead pulled her own caduceus staff close and began to pull on the firing end of the staff. With a quick turn, a cylinder portion popped out entirely. "Take a deep breath."

With quick actions, she plugged in the cylinder into Genji's chest. The cylinder lit up gold while Genji glowed emerald. With a grunt, Genji's back arched. Instantly ceasing the muscle spasms.

"Doc... that 'spose to happen?" Jesse questioned from behind.

Angela ignored the cowboy, focusing all of her attention on the now still body in front of her. Just as quickly as they came on, each and every single light on his body turned dark, even his visor. Genji collapsed back into the snow as a heap of scrap metal.

"Genji, breathe." Angela advised, removing the staff's cylinder from his chest.

It took 4 seconds, maybe 5 before Genji rose again.

With a deep gasp of air and the functionality of his muscles, Genji sat up quicker than his lights came back on. Angela held her hands up against him, attempting to hold him back.

"We need to go, we need to go now!" Genji stood with a struggle, he has gained functionality but the stress of the entire ordeal has damaged some of the processing within the actual muscles. They didn't exactly work with the accuracy of human cells.

"Genji, settle down! You can't leave now!" Angela grabbed an arm, pulling with as much force as she could bear against him. She didn't want to cause further damage, especially since she has yet to access him.

"They took her, I need to get her back." Genji's steps looked similar to that of a 4 year old's. He would take the first few with ease and then suddenly the momentum would be lost to him. His steps staggered, bumping into the opposite leg and tripping each other. His arms dangled with the same amount of grace, until Jesse stepped in.

"What do you mean 'get her back'? Who took her?" Jesse's own metal hand flattened against his chest, stopping his motion completely. Although Angela knew he only stepped in at your mention, she was still glad Jesse stopped the cyborg. 

"Talon, they found her first. I need to get her back!" Genji flung an arm across Jesse's, slapping away the prosthetic. However, that was the only thing stopping him from collapsing completely.

"Genji please, you can't help her like this! We can come back with the rest of the team, just don't go like this!" Angela reasoned, but today was not a day for reason.

"There is no time, Angela! I can't leave her again!" Genji stood back up, no force was going to stop him this time.

At least, that's what he believed.

In one quick swoop, a large armored hand grabbed Genji and flung him over his shoulder.

"We sent Fareeha ahead once you left the beacon. The rest of the team should be on the way." Reinhardt for once in his life was not yelling, and instead the seriousness of his voice left a tinge of fear in the Doctor's mind.

" _Dammit! I need to save her! Release me!"_ Genji's native tongue spoke to deaf ears, Reinhardt's sudden appearance sparked an animalistic side to Genji. He pried and punched away at the man's armor, but without the full potential of his limbs, there was little he could do.

"Did Winston tell you what Soldier:76 advised?" Angela questioned, following behind Reinhardt and an incoherent Genji.

"He did." His tone refused to falter, no longer was this the man Angela has been working along side with for years.

"Well? What did he say?" She questioned, realizing he wasn't going to finish his statement.

"The Russian authorities know we are here." He replied, not exactly answering her question. But not exactly an incorrect response either.

"That should be a given, but we aren't going against Russian authorities. Talon has (Y/N)." Angela seemed uneasy, her answer held an undertone of concern. Genji has now also paused his attempts, listening intently.

"Jack said we must abandon her." Reinhardt's voice held remorse, a struggle to get the syllables of betrayal out in foreign language.

"What?" Angela couldn't think of a proper sentence, the word spoke enough for her.

"The Russian military have her, not Talon. They are going to turn her in to the United Nations and try her under violation of the Petras Act." Genji began to fidget again. He made pathetic attempts at escape once more.

"No... We can't just leave her!" Angela's eyebrows knit together, her grip tightened around the caduceus staff. She felt so hopeless, she became a doctor so she would never feel this way again.

"Of course we can't, dear." Reinhardt spoke with ease. The typical heartiness of his voice returning.

"Th-This is outrageous! She's more valuable than that! To abandon her is- wait, what?" Angela suddenly processed his answer. Confusion lay through her features.

"We can't abandon her, which is why we are getting her back." The tress began to lessen, the obscure shape of the Orca now coming into view. "Fareeha is on her way to scout the military base she's currently in. Winston has already set up a plan for us. You just need to calibrate our friend here and we should be on our way." Reinhardt patted Genji's back for emphasis. Angela still not quite caught up with his statements.

"But Jack said to leave her, I don't understand." Angela continued to process the situation, Genji stopped his struggles and instead choose to mumble in his native tongue the entirety of the way.

"Jack isn't the commander anymore, Angela. We have our own will!" Reinhardt's now boisterous tone returning as he relayed the information to the fellow doctor. He was right, Morrison isn't the commander anymore. And this isn't even Overwatch. The recall is simply that; a Recall. There is no government oversight, no higher brass to assign missions or instructions, they all work under their own rules. Protocol is just a word now, void of it's definition. "Now, you have the choice; Help our dear friend or choose the safety Jack suggests."

Angela pondered, but not of the choice given. She pondered of the choice  _of_ having a choice. She may still follow what ever is being told of her, but is it the just option?

"Set Genji in one of the jet seats. I'll get him functioning in no time." Angela made clear of her decision, Reinhardt gave her a toothy smile and obliged. He carried Genji into the now reached Orca so Angela can work.

"Your work is invaluable to us, Angela." Reinhardt complimented before allowing her room to Genji. She gave him a quick "Thank you" before turning her features into question.

 

"Wait- where's McCree?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gooossshhh I hope the characters weren't too OOC! Especially Genji, so I do apologize if they are! Also there was some Big Brother McCree flashback stuff going on! To be continued!!! *Dun Dun Duuuunnnn* And dont worry there will be much more Genji flashbacks coming very soon! I have a lot planned for him that will hopefully make you all cry, laugh, and even pee a little. (Maybe all of the above at the same time who knows?)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed, please leave a comment of any ideas, tips, or just what you think! 
> 
> Thank you all!!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GAHH SORRY FOR LATE UPDATE!!!
> 
> As always, I hope you all enjoy!! please leave a comment on what you think! 
> 
> p.s. I hope the dialogue in this chapter wasn't too distracting, if so let me know and ill most definitely change it!

_Wax against paper, the crayons transferred their assigned colors into your booklet. With each bump of the ride, there would be a matching wobble in your line work._

_But you continued in a muffled hum._

_You sat next to Jesse in the back seat of an old muscle car. The engines of each hover tire growled under the vehicle, joining your own noises in breaking the silence. Two older gentlemen sat stoically in the front, shades held up on the bridges of their noses to shield the setting sun. Your own small figure sat perfectly behind the passenger seat in front of you, providing enough shade for your delicate eyes._

_You stared into the coloring book in your lap, the princess outlines slowly being filled with various shades of green, pink, and blue; being the only crayons to have yet to shatter under your grip. Jesse watched you in silence, his hat resting in his lap as he stretched an arm across the head rests. Brown locks were unkempt and in his eyes, but he has yet to do anything about it. The peach fuzz under his chin now growing into a real scruff, tickling the skin under._

_He kept watching. Your small fingers visibly remembering to loosen as you colored, how white the knuckles would turn seconds soon after. The way you would pause to move the baby hairs out of your face or straighten out your famously yellow sun dress. The old rusted car, two grown men with reputations beyond your comprehension, and a boy raised from the streets to be a career criminal._

_And then there was you._

_A little girl, princess coloring book, and a dress you love so much you refuse to remove for even a wash. Last nights dinner was still engraved in the fabric, but the bright highlight of yellow washed away any imperfections. **You** washed away any imperfections. The reason Jesse was forced to grow, become a man at such a young age. Jesse gave up his childhood to make sure you had a replication of one. You are not blood, you are nothing in relation to him. But with that being said, you are now everything to him. He doesn't know at what point did he choose to dedicate himself to you. Or what it even was that made him take you in that night. What ever it was, he was thankful for. Your presence, the responsibility of having you, raised him. _

_"Jezze, can you pass me the green." You raised your head, facing the teenager with doe eyes and messy hair. You stuck a hand out, holding onto a pink crayon in trade._

_"What'd you say when you ask for things, doll?" Jesse responded. Picking up the crayon box from his lap._

_"Can you pass me the green,_ please?" _You emphasized. Too busy coloring for manners._

_"Please and what?" Jesse held out the green, to which to struggled to reach for._

_"Thank you!" You wiggled out of your seat, and snatched the crayon right from his hands. You held out the pink which Jesse took gladly._

  _You returned to your furious coloring session. Finishing the blue skinned space princess with a green dress. Her pink hair will flatter it immensely, at least you think so._

_The car ride wasn't that bad. It was a little too quiet for Jesse's taste but it was peaceful nonetheless. Without real warning or signal, the car pulled into a shopping district and began to cruise the area. His speeding has now slowed to a pedestrian-safe speed. You continued to color, unaware of the approaching destination._

_"You know what to do, kid?" The driver spoke behind the wheel, peering through the rear view mirror to make eye contact with Jesse._

_"Yes I do, sir." Jesse replied, a little too mockingly._

_Jesse brought your attention away from the book, making sure you were ready for your part. He had carefully placed the solid crayons back into the box full of broken pieces. They meshed together to form new colors, but you didn't exactly know that. Once Jesse hid the book and colors under the seat, you began to peer out the window._

_Porcelain_ _laced with silver filled the streets. The distinct buildings shined in the remainder of the light as their signs displayed different titles and slogans. Men in tailored suits walked with beautiful women on their arms, fur and and various accessories adorned their bodies. Although your window was up, you can almost imagine the sound of high-end shoes clattering against the hardlight sidewalks._

_"Bunch of polished pricks, walking without a care in the world." The driver with a yet-to-be-known name spoke to no one in particular. He continued to travel down the street, stopping at the farthest end of the shopping district. There was no particular area for parking, as valet workers ran up and down the street in assistance. Your current vehicle did get some attention, as it wasn't a sports car. It wasn't even a model from the current year. The rust and growl radiating from the car earned an almost disgusted vibe from passerby's. Even the valet refused to approach to park the car-although working in your favor, you still took offense._

_"Jim, park across the street. This is the place." The passenger finally spoke, referencing a small yet luxurious display of an establishment._

_The sign read 'Thomson's Jewels and Fine Metals' across a moving hologram built within the wall above the door. Rings, necklaces, and other accessories weaved around the words in an entrancing manner. You simply stared in awe as the bright colors spoke to you._

_The pause of the vehicle and slow decent as the hover tires lowered themselves caused you to snap your attention back to the task at hand. Without waiting another moment, you peered within the glass interior of the store._

_One, two. No, three._

_Two security officers held their post by the front entrance. Eyeing those who walked in or out with a lazy gaze. A third officer traversed in boredom within the actual store. A single clerk was seen speaking to a couple, bloviating a fine necklace with a ruby bigger than your dreams sitting symmetrically in the middle. Two other men were seen inspecting the displays; specifically, the diamond rings._

_"Alright, Leonard. You get the two guards up front. I'll hold up the customers and the clerk. Cowboy, you get the cash and any rocks left open in the displays." You turned with minute concern. "Oh, right. Princess why don't you stay here and color? Be our look out." The driver, now known as Jim let out a chuckle. Mocking you with the term "princess" and earning a snort from his partner in the passenger._

_"Mizters, can you two wait in the car?" With a hint of annoyance, you tried to stay civil. Your selective lisp did nothing to help you in the situation._

_Jesse settled back into his seat. He brought a leg up across his lap and watched the scene unfold. The two gentlemen had already opened the door, but they paused in your sudden outburst._

_"Listen, cupcake. We've done this hundreds of times before. You may not know who we are, but our reputation earned us a spot next to the Boss, 'Mizz'." Starting off with a scoff and ending with a laughter, the statement tugged at a few nerves.  
_

_"Y'all are stupid if you think (L/N) let an 8 year old come along without reason." Jesse suddenly spoke under a cool breath. He began leaning his head back, as if the situation was tiring for him. "I know he told you to do as she says, so why'n't you set aside your egos and listen to 'er." You couldn't help a smile as Jesse began to eat away at their pride with each word. Leonard faltered, pulling the door closer in her direction but not exactly closing it. He turned to his companion for instructions on how to proceed._

_Jim let out a scoff through his nose, "Fuck if I care. Let some toddler screw it up for us if that's what the Boss wants." He slammed the door shut. His sarcasm dripping with annoyance as he turned his attention forward out the windshield. Leonard closed his door fully, unsure of what to do or say._

_"I'll be back, Jezze. Don't mess up my book!" Jesse nodded, a light hum of a laughter radiating from his chest as you pushed on the door. Reaching down, you grabbed a colorfully decorated backpack from the space at your feet. Various designs of princesses and warriors alike were either drawn or stickered on the bright blue material. You climbed out the car with ease but exerted more energy in closing the door._

_You looked back across the street into the store, same set up. Four customers, three security officers, and one clerk._

_You've done more impressive work before._

_With small strides-and obviously looking both ways before crossing-you made it just a little ways from the store entrance. You looked down, ruffled your dress a little, scuffed your shoes, and even took a moment to distress the already disaster of a hairdo. Quickly, and with heavy pants, you weaved through the small groups of people and ran up to the first two officers at the entrance._

_"Mizters! Help me!" The sudden outburst caused very few of the privileged around you to turn, but none of them took the moment to stop to see the commotion. The officers, however, turned their full attention to you. "Are you the police?! Mommy told me people with a badge are police!" You feigned ignorance, pointing out their decorative badges and metallic gear. Their visors shined back down at you in concern._

_"You alright, little lady?" One officer spoke up. Shrinking himself to your size by taking a knee. The eye contact was one sided, as you couldn't see beyond the bright blue of his helmet._

_"You zee that man over there?" A small index finger stuck out from your fist, pointing at an older gentlemen. His hunched over stature and unkempt appearance deemed him the most suitable target, sorry about that. "He tried to take me!"_

_Both officers turned back to each other. Since the lower half of their faces were left uncovered, you could easily see the frown beginning to form._

_"He grabbed me when I was waiting for Mommy to come out of the z-store. He said he was going to give me a treat." Disgust began to mesh the emotions within their frown. The officer still knelt to you began to speak again._

_"The man in the blue tie? He tried to take you?" He asked for clarification. You simply nodded. Your eyebrows furrowing upwards to play up the sympathy. He stook back up, tapping at the side of his visor._

_"Station, we got a 207A at Valley and Hawthorne. Officers Lee and Martinez conducting arrest." The officer speaking to you mentioned briefly for you to stay put, before making their way across the street to an unsuspecting victim._

_"7 minutes, 34 seconds..."  You spoke to yourself. Unsure of where you got the time frame, but you always seemed to trust your gut._

_You turned, wasting no time, to face the entrance. The same group of people were still inside. The other officer inside was next on your list._

_You carefully straightened out your dress and walked straight for the officer grazing the store._

_"Officer?" You tugged on the mans sleeve. He turned with little surprise._

_"Yes, Ma'am?" He spoke softly, with light sophistication. You looked up at him with innocence and bright eyes._

_"I know I wan't supposed to be back there, but when I was playing in the back alley I saw an Omnic there. I think he was trying to get in." The sudden mention of an Omnic snatched his attention fully. He leaned back slightly, as if offended such a being would make his way here._

_"Could you show me where you saw him?" Without another second wasted, you nodded and began the very short journey to a door towards the back of the store. 'Fire Exit' read across the top, leaving it unlocked but not without the precautions of metal detectors and various scanners to track any stolen items that pass through._

_You stepped aside, waiting for the officer to walk through first. Once ahead, you stomped on one end of your shoelace to effectively untie it once your other foot pulled away._

_"Where was he?" The officer too busy looking up and down the back alley didn't even notice the swift movement of your feet. You had both paused in front of a rusted dumpster. It hovered lightly above the ground while also compressing the contents within._

_"Umm, I think down there, z-sir." You pointed at random, now looking down at your shoes in fake surprise._

_"Wait! Mizter! Could you tie my shoe really quick? I haven't learned that yet." You pouted for extra measure. The man stared down the alley for a moment before letting out a breath of air. He mumbled under his breath and crouched down to your shoes._

_Once he had a decent hold of your laces, you delicately placed your small palm against the side of his helmet._

_"Sorry, Mizter." Before a response could be made, you pushed with all the force your frail body could produce, and slammed the side of his head against the metal of the dumpster. His visor cracked, a loud ding of hardlight on steel echoed through the alley way. Effectively, the man was out cold on the floor in front of your feet. You reached down, tied your own shoe, and went through the different holsters on the officers body. Taking a little too long than you had hoped, you found a taser. You fidgeted with it for a moment before figuring out which button was used for it to work._

_"5 minutes, 12 seconds..."  You went back in the store the way you came, hiding the taser in the space between your pack and your back._

_Quickly, you found the store clerk. Just like before, you managed to raise your voice in an effort to make a scene._

_"Hey! You're the man who went to Daddy's party and said all that funny stuff!" The customers and clerk turned their attention to you. The sudden burst interrupted their shopping._

_"I-I'm sorry?" The clerk furrowed his brows in confusion, unsure of what your presence was doing._

_"Yeah! You said the gold here was actually filled with another thing-you said something like another metal. That's actually really z-smart. Because then Daddy won't have to pay as much for the gold." The couple he was helping suddenly turned to the gold necklace in their hands and back up at the clerk. He began to nod furiously._

_"Miss, I don't ever recall seeing you at any meeting. What you are saying is undoubtedly untrue." He began to panic as the couple placed the necklace back in the casing._

_"Oh! And you alzo said Daddy found a way to make a hardlight version of Diamond, but without the blue hue. So now it looks like a real one!" You bursted aloud. The two men grazing over the showcases began to walk away. The couple spoke few words to each other before finally leaving without another say.  
_

_"Excuse me, Miss! I would never! These are the finest materials in Arcadia! Where's security?!" The man furiously pushed up his glasses, huffing as he ran behind the counter._

_He reached for a phone, only to end his struggle on the floor frothing at the mouth._

_In one swift movement, you had pulled the taser back out and incapacitated the clerk. For a moment, he seemed to be awake. So you gave him a few more shocks to be sure he was unconscious. Is he? His arm is still moving, maybe one more for good measure._

_You searched his pockets for a key card, to which he kept in his back left pocket._

_Before proceeding, You looked up over the counter on your tippy toes, the store was empty. Any pedestrians passing the glass front walked right by without any suspicions. So you went back down behind the counter. You slid the key card over the cash register scanner, but alas- people paid in credits, paper money was obsolete in such a privileged district._

_You stuck your head above the counter again, no new customers or curious eyes. So you quickly made your way around, stood as high as necessary to reach a holopad by the door, and set it to 'closed'. Instantly, the room dimmed and the door closed. The glass went from see-through to a dark opaque in seconds._

_"2 minutes, 49 seconds..."  You ran back to the larger casings. You used the 'borrowed' key card to scan away at the displays. One by one, you opened and emptied all the valuables you could find. Your bright blue backpack filling up with as much riches as you could find. Various diamonds, rubies, and your personal favorite: emeralds, filled the large compartment of your decorated pack._

_Filling it with as much as you could fill, you turned to face the now deemed exit._

_"45 seconds..." You watched the shadows pass the store, calculating the perfect timing to exit. You held onto a single ring, small but valuable._

_Taking a deep breath, you took your first step bursting through the door._

_Without a second passing, the detectors signaled their alarms and began blaring a deafening screech. Lights flashed withing the store, attracting the attention of anyone within hearing distance._

_A man had paused in front of the store, staring you down as you walked by with a new found calm. The officers from earlier turned from the assailant you had accused just before. He lay on the street with handcuffs across his wrists, restricting any movement._

_You looked away from the steps you were taking and bumped into the young man who kept staring you down. Swiftly and hopefully_ _unnoticeably, you slipped the ring into one of the outside pockets of his very finely crafted jacket. One officer began to make his way back across the street in haste, he struggled to get through the crowd at first but then managed paused in front of the store._

_You already pushed past a few people, the man who witnessed your unlawful behavior began to speak up._

_"H-Hey! Stop!" His arm raised, pointing to you. But the sudden commotion left him yelling at nothing._

_"Ma'am, I zaw him coming out of that z-ztore. I think he made the alarms go off." You began tugging at a woman's skirt as you spoke. The commotion causing you're lisp to turn into a stutter as you couldn't hear your own voice. She brought her own blue eyes down to your hues._

_"Did you now? Oh my!" She raised her head back up, reaching for the officer. "Sir, he came out of that store when the alarms went off!" She began to point accusingly, the officer turned back to the man in question._

_You continued to fight the crowd, weaving through various legs and and shopping bags. From what you could hear, the man protested any sort of allegations. But the officer decided to use his visor to check for any metals, leaving him to discover the small ringlet of silver in the jacket pocket._

_You finally cut through the crowd. And old, rusted muscle car was left alone across the street. You could faintly see three faces pressed against the driver and back seat window. Their features held a sort of mixture of emotions. Surprise, worry, and flat out dumbfounded. You began to hum softly to yourself as you waltz carefully across the street._

_Finally, you reached the car door and opened with a hint of satisfaction._

_"Can we get burgers, Jezze? I'm hungry." You tossed your backpack to the front seat, Jim held it with a sort of undetectable caution. You buckled your seat belt and turned back to Jesse, waiting for his answer._

_"Christ Almighty..." Leonard whispered under his breath as Jim opened the pack. The valuables shined back at them as they stared in inexplicable surprise._

_"You can get whatever you want, Darlin'." Jesse chuckled, he's seen this over and over again. It has yet to cease to amaze him._

 

_"Look's like we can go back home, sweet pea."_

 

God, it smells terrible. 

Various beeps and whirs filled your ear drums. Bright lights pressed through your closed eyelids. Your whole body, felt numb and foreign to you; As if it was borrowed.

Slowly, your eyes opened. Your eyes watered as the light hit your pupils. White filled the walls and ceiling, monitors displayed various jumbles of numbers and charts. You were too unaware and confused to really take a moment to pay attention to what they showed. And with good reason.

Your muscles were sore, your throat felt dry. Yet you still rolled your head from one side to another. You felt plastic tubes leading up to your nose tighten with the movement. Your visions caught the vague shape of a doorway, you were really unsure of anything you saw at this point.

With harsh effort, you began to roll your head back down, trying to look at your own body. The soreness left you with a terrible view of the blanket wrapped around your torso. You saw your right fist stick out from under the wrappings, a needle stuck into the prominent vein of your hand.

You squinted, unsure of where exactly you were, how you got there, and why you felt like you didn't have pants on.

In the most saddest attempt of your life, you used your left hand to lift your body. Your elbow buckled before any real weight could be pressed against it, and the wrappings around the knuckles tightened as you spread your fingers.

"Dammit..." You mumbled under your breath. Almost within that same instant, the doorway you deduced earlier opened. 

An aged man, glasses atop his nose walked in with a fairly tall woman. You were at least gaining your vision back enough to distinguish the minor details better.

"See, she's awake." The woman spoke softly. A Russian accent filled her tongue and wrapped around each syllable. The man nodded, pulling a rolling chair from the corner to your bed.

Wheels, having seen those in a while.

"Are you coherent, miss?" The doctor asked with no introduction or other signs of reason.

"I'd like to think I am." You replied with a rasp of a voice, maybe just a little too sarcastic. The man offered a light smile. He reached into his breast pocket a pulled out a small flashlight. Again, without any indication or signal, he reached for your face and began to inspect your eyes with said light.

"Americans, they all speak the same." He said as he inspected the monitors as well. Judging from his nod of approval, things seemed to be working just fine. However, the sly remark rubbed you the wrong way. "I am Dr. Vasiliev, I'll be taking care of you for the time being." 

"Nice to meet you, sir." You spoke without any further mention of his comment. He smiled at you, his expression turning a lot warmer than what he impressed earlier.

"We have a lot to talk about, miss." He rolled back in his chair and reached to the wall next to your bed. It hovered slightly above the ground, giving you a calm rocking motion.

After pressing a few buttons, the bed began to fold upwards. Pushing you from a prone position to sitting up slightly.

"Vasiliev, maybe now is not the time." The woman spoke behind the doctor. Pink hair bounced with each tilt of the head. Despite the prominence of the color, a scar just above her eyebrow grabbed your attention the most.

"Now is the perfect time. Especially with her importance." The doctor nodded back to you. All you could do was scrutinize in return. The situation was strange, you think you are in a hospital. But definitely not State owned. The tech here was mediocre and outdated, the only thing up to date here was most likely your presence.

"And how exactly do you figure I'm important?" You replied with a squint. It was all you could really do while wrapped around such a thick blanket.

"Well, being on the United Nation's fugitive list makes you important in my book, Ms. (L/N)." Your expression dropped, all forms of rebellion ended simultaneously. You turned your head slightly, just above the door held a sign:  **RUSSIAN DEFENSE FORCES** read across in perfectly carved Russian letters. The woman, she was dressed in a jump suit. Just above her breast was an insignia and her rank. The smaller details now just coming into view around the room. Posters of different military figures were scattered lightly on the walls. One woman, Katya, seemed familiar in your eyes. Nevertheless, you still felt the sudden sting of an inevitable outcome. Russian military owns you now.

"Now, Ms. (L/N). May I discuss those details with you?" The doctor pressed, realizing you weren't going to answer.

 

"I think I'd very much like to go back into the snow now."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was sommetthinnggg else for me. I have no idea how to write an 8 year old badass realistically, so if this was cringeworthy then i apologize ;-; also I know lisps are usually with a 'th' sound, but typing it looked really awkward to me, so i replaced it with a 'z' instead. I hope it had the same effect, especially since the lisp is more of because she's a child who doesn't know how to sound things out and not because she has a speech impediment. But if that is still weird to read then PLEASE let me know because I will gladly edit it out from the last chapter and this chapter. I just thought i'd be a cute touch to Reader, her being a little girl with an awkward lisp and all. She was badass enough as it is, I had to add some sort of cuteness to her cx
> 
> Comment what you think and of any ideas you have! I already have so many from a few people, each will be mentioned in their respected chapters ^.^ so if you haven't seen it yet then just wait! it's coming!
> 
> thank you all for reading c: <3


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Claustrophobia + needle injury + blood + gore? (Description of injured limb is gross)
> 
> GUYYYYSSSSSSS  
> THIS IS A GOOD ONE  
> (At least i think so ;-;)  
> I hope you all enjoy c:

You sat upright in the military hospital bed, twiddling your thumbs in an attempt to distract yourself. Muffled beeps and the faint smell of disinfectant left a poor remnant in your senses.

"What is your business here?"

You picked at your fingers, your index held quite the annoying hang nail.

"Are there more agents with you?"

The woman shifted slightly behind the doctor, the situation being visibly uncomfortable for her. Yet, she didn't contest.

"Is Overwatch reinstating? Which country authorized it?"

The questioning bored you. The drips of the IV and consistence beeps from the heart monitor was the closest thing to entertainment in this room. Although this sort of interrogation was much more preferable than the one in Shanghai, you still bear the scars from their attempts.

"What enhancement did Overwatch give you? Or were you one of the few who already came with a quirk?"

You paused your fidgeting, the question seemed odd to you. Of course, skill set seemed to be the common theme between questioning; but never _enh_ _ancement._

"If you don't answer my questions, we'll simply cease our care for you. Throw you back into the snow like you requested." The doctor's tone shifted into aggravation. You finally looked up at him with bored, uninterested eyes.

"Maybe the wolves will do a better job asking questions." You said just a little too easily.

The doctor's nostrils flared, you can see his jaw clenching behind the wrinkles of his cheeks. In an instant, he rose from his rolling chair. He spoke in quick Russian to the militant woman, " _You have twenty minutes_." 

" _Twenty minutes? C'mon, I think she's got it in ten."_ Your interruption in their smooth tongue caused both figures to turn in your direction. A light smirk on your features caused the doctor to visibly boil. You watched as the woman's eyes shot back and forth between you and Dr. Vasiliev, to which you shot her a wink once she settled on you.

Without another word, the doctor left with a slamming door behind him. You finally felt safe enough to settle back down into the bed, even if it was still reclined upwards slightly. The two bodies in the room sat in silence, unsure of who to speak first. So you simply closed your eyes for a moment, appreciating the silence.

At least you were, until your stomach yelled otherwise.

Your eyes shot open, the roar intimidating to even you.

"Are you hungry, Ma'am?" The woman spoke from her seat in the back of the room. You peered over with embarrassment, but softened once realizing her gaze only held concern.

"A little, I haven't eaten since... Actually I don't know when was the last time I ate." Your brows furrowed, thoughts flying through your head. "How long was I asleep?" 

"A few hours. You went into surgery only needing to patch your leg up. The medical staff was expecting an amputation." Your eyes widened at the comment. Unconsciously, you brought a hand to your thigh. "But nothing of the sort happened. They did mention briefly of it being a little strange. I didn't really understand the medical jargon."

The woman offered a smile before lifting herself from the chair, "I'll get you something to eat, Ma'am."

"Uh, thanks. I really appreciate that--umm..." Your mind blanked, you sorted through your memory for any indication of her name.

"You may call me Zarya, Ma'am." Her accent fluidly finished your sentence, she offered you a forgiving smile. It seemed you not knowing her name didn't bother her in the slightest.

With a polite nod, she left you to your thoughts in the room. 

You let out a breath you didn't really know you were holding. Your hand trembled lightly as it hovered over the blanket on top of your thigh. You remember the explosion, the burning sensation pooling to absolute numbness in the cold. You couldn't feel your foot at the moment. You weren't sure if you could even move your toes.

Slowly and with a delicate hesitation, you began to peel away the comforter. The more you pulled, the more the hospital gown wrinkled around your lap. The cloth seemed to roll and scrunch upwards either during your sleep or when you were transferred to this bed. The blue fabric itched your skin the more you stared into it.

Until finally, the hospital gown stopped around the middle of your thigh.

Povidone idodine stained the exposed skin. The orange tint trailed down the further you lifted the blanket. Even all the way up your knee, but the sudden intrusion of white bandages around your calf paused the orange tint. 

You inspected the gauze wrapped delicately around your leg. The cotton carefully wrapped around the muscle, protecting any sort of open flesh underneath. Eventually, you began to push away the blanket even further, revealing more of your shin.

A clouded mesh protected the skin and bone around your leg. You did't feel any sort of pain, not even the muscle was sore. What you found to be even stranger, however, was that you couldn't physically  _feel_ the cast around your calf. The only evidence of it being there, was your own sight.

You began to drag your fingers over the material, the roughness of the casting prickled against the tips of your fingers. Your inspection wielding nothing more than confusion.

So you pushed the blanket further.

The cast seemed to wrap around the entirety of your shin and calf, even past the ankle. The ball of your heel was smooth in the white mesh, held in place by concrete fabric.

However, you shouldn't have looked further than that.

"Holy..."

The casting stopped in the middle of your foot. Revealing an unnatural shade of obsidian against your skin. It was as if your entire foot was mummified and left in the open, not a single cell of your skin color was left visible. The nails were left blackened, blood seemed to abandon the the appendage. The skin was shrunken in, tightening around seemingly empty toes.

"Frostbite. In the most severe degree." Dr. Vasiliev spoke at the doorway, his entry went unheard. The doctor's demeanor has calmed back down, stoicism now adorning his features. "The loss of blood ended up speeding the process in that leg."

You didn't even bother to look back up, the atrocity of what has become your limb kept all of your attention.

"Frostbite? D-Don't you have to get rid of it? Won't it spread?" The questions began to spew from your mouth, the heartbeat monitor began to go erratic.

"Which is why we put you through surgery in the first place." The doctor began to step in, Zarya trailed behind him with a tray of various foods. "However, before we could even begin--the dead cells began to rejuvenate themselves."

Finally, you looked up to him. Despite your earlier annoyances towards the doctor, he seems to have put it all aside for the sake of professionalism. Your features held a type of fear and confusion, softening the doctors feelings towards you.

"What do you mean rejuvenate? It's frostbite! The skin is already dead, isn't it?!" Your voice raised with concern. You looked back down to the appendage, the muscle no longer holding any value to you.

"Medically speaking, you are correct. However, there is something about your biological structure that doesn't make sense." The doctor now scrutinizing you instead. His confusion seemed to be centered around your reaction, rather than his statement. "May I ask, when did you receive the injury along your knuckles?"

You looked down to your hand, clean bandages replaced your improvised ones from earlier. They no longer stung of the raw skin from your boxing session.

You began shaking your head, "I-Uhh. What does that have to do with anything?" You were unsure of the significance of your hand, but it seemed important to him. You, however, were more concerned with the current state of your foot.

"There was blood on the bandage, but it seems the skin has already healed the hypodermis layers." He replied with ease, but your confused expression prompted him to explain further. "Although there is a layer of scabbing, it seems to be on top of a new layer of skin; the layer that causes bleeding once broken."

You thought about his response for a moment. Unsure of what to really say in light of his discovery.

"So what you're saying is my skin has already been healed over? I don't understand, what's strange about that?." You looked back down to your foot, the correlation between your hand and the frostbitten limb still blurry to you.

"It is when the injury's condition seems to be a few days old, yet the bandage and scabbing suggest it happened sometime yesterday or very early this morning." Looking out the window, you can see the sun has already set. This morning's work out replayed in your mind, the way your hand bled under their wrappings. The way you ignored your body's protest to stop hitting the bag, how you pushed yourself to continue to break yourself.

The way he touched you.

You pondered, unsure of whether or not this was some way of getting you to talk. But your own curiosity towards an answer prompted you to relay a response.

"This morning."

"I'm sorry?" The doctor asked for clarification. You simply stared down into your hand, emotions returning with no remorse.

"I got the injury this morning." Your voice was monotone, you weren't sure what to focus on. It seems the concern over your foot was close to nothing, your hand held no other significance other than the time of injury. You didn't even bother yourself with the worry, your mind was clouded with other emotions. 

"You didn't think it was odd that only after a few hours, your hand began to heal significantly?" The doctor questioned, a certain curiosity laced in his words. Zarya kept her position behind, confusion within her features. You stared down at yourself. Your eyes traced the bandage around your knuckles, the cast around your calf, and the now unrecognizable foot which followed. Something was off, and it wasn't necessarily the injuries.

"I don't--... This is just how I've always been."

Dr. Vasiliev tilted his head a fraction of a degree. You're answer was something he didn't expect. You looked up at him with confusion, a mask of uncertainty. Until it finally struck him that you _youself_ didn't even hold the answers.

But before the doctor could question further, the lights within the room shut off with a quick _pop!_  A resonating sound of generators all simultaneously stopped their humming. The monitors around the room has finally quieted down, leaving you in darkened silence with the doctor and Zarya.

 You could feel your eyes adjusting, but it was too soon to be able to see anything in the void.

"Zaryanova, check the halls please." The doctor commanded in the dark. The shuffling of feet signaled Zarya's exit.

"What's happening?" You asked with concern. Hospitals usually have back up generators in case the failure of primary engines. But then again, this wasn't exactly a state-of-the-art facility.

The doctor ignored your question, instead he decided to peek outside the door. However, such endeavors left him with no new information.

You began to look around, the window showed no activity outside. There was no strange noises from outside the door, just the scrambling of staff. 

That was until the shots were heard through the building.

Three quick bangs resonated through the halls, screeches and yelling could be heard outside the door. Dr. Vasiliev took a generous step backwards, taking his hands off the handle. 

You flinched and shifted with each pop, you began lifting the blanket off the remainder of your body. Meanwhile, the doctor began to push a large, metal cabinet towards the door. The furniture scraped against the tile floor with an uncomfortable screech. The hairs against your arms rose from the chills the noise caused.

"What are you doing?! What about Zarya!" You began to whisper-shout, as if the beings outside would hear you.

The doctor began to nod his head furiously, "She can take care of herself!" With one grand shove, metal finally slammed against the door. The exit was now blocked.

You threw your legs over the bed, the hover engines shifted and tilted under the redistribution of weight. Before your feet was even able to hit the ground, however, the door slammed against the improvised barrier. The sound of metal hitting metal stung your ears, each hit caused a wave of fear to dance in your stomach.

Dr. Vasiliev took the opportunity to begin hiding. He squeezed his body in the crevice between the monitors and the wall. A poor hiding spot, but a hiding spot nonetheless.

You looked back from him to the door, it has now ceased its slamming. Instead, the door has pressed against the cabinet and began to slowly shove it out of the way. You quickly assessed your surroundings, finding the IV stand to be a suitable enough weapon.

You reached forward, grabbing the stand from your spot on the bed. You held it out, the IV bag still administering it's medicine into you.

Slowly, and in the dark, the door began to open wider and wider.

Until finally, a shadowed figure walked in.

With an almost embarrassing battle cry, you flung your body forward with stand in hand; hitting the intruder. But it was short lived; your leg gave out under you, causing your body to hit the ground with an immense force.

The assailant clashed with the stand, but did nothing in retaliation.

"(Y/N)?!" A familiar Russian accent made way to your ear drums. "Where is Vasiliev?!" Your fist began to sting at this point, moisture running down the skin.

Zarya began to lift you from the ground, "He's hiding back there." You spat the words out, the coward could be heard shifting behind the dead monitors.

"How did you open the door?" He asked from behind. Your hand still stung, but the question peeked your curiosity.

"You do realize I was the women's weightlifting champion, right? I bench more than that cabinet weighs." Zarya had lifted you back up, but she only supported your stance.

"Doctor, I think my hand is bleeding." You spoke softly, you could feel your mind clouding already. 

You heard the doctor shift towards the two of you. A hand found your arm, his fingers ran over the skin in inspection. He paused once feeling a trail of blood down your fingers.

"You ripped the IV out, did you use the stand as a weapon?" After another set of shuffling, the doctor returned to his position by your side and began to work. Gauze could be felt wrapping around your fist as he applied the necessary pressure.

"What was I supposed to do?! You left me!" You tried to shout, but the fear of being heard kept your voice low. The entirety of the situation seemed to have shifted dramatically. 

"Enough of that, we have to leave." Once the doctor finished, Zarya held you up by her side. You held onto her shoulders as she began to escort you out the door.

"Where are we going?" You asked as you began the journey with Dr. Vasiliev trailing behind. The man's sudden eagerness to follow along left you with distaste.

Zarya poked a head out the door, checking the hallway before finally pushing forward.

"The base has been breached, we need to get into the basement." Zarya pushed forward. All forms of light was gone, so it was a feat to watch her manage to get through the building without it.

A breach in a military facility seemed unlikely, unless the trespassers held an equal level of skill and status.

Zarya continued, checking her corners before traveling down a hall. Every few steps, you would trip over a knocked over desk or cabinet.

At one unsure point, you seemed to have tripped over the limb of a body.

You were too busy trying to focus on getting to the basement to ponder on the thought, However the doctor didn't seem to take it too well.

Dr. Vasiliev followed closely behind as a shaking mess. You could hear a whimper resonate from him with each creak or shift. His entire character has shifted so dramatically since you've awoken. The man has gone from compassionate, to annoyed, and now cowardice in a matter of an hour. But you decided to push the assessment to the back of your mind, your traversal through the hospital held the utmost of importance.

Your mind returned to the uncertainty of what was happening. The situation seemed off: How could anyone breach a military base? Let alone one right in the middle of the Siberian wilderness. Who would want to take the time to attack this obviously less advanced branch. Just your hospital room alone proved that the base didn't have much to offer. It just seemed-- strange.

"I'm going to pick you up, hold onto me." Zarya commanded, to which you didn't hesitate to comply with. For a moment you wobbled as she reached down, but Zarya threw an arm under your knees before you could fall.

Once lifting you up, a slow decent was made. The consistent dips indicated she was traveling down stairs. There would be brief moments of flat walkways, before traversing down steps again. You deduced this flight of stairs led straight down into the basement. At least, you hoped it did.

However, your traversal was interrupted when a pair of flashlights were seen down the current hallway the stairs led you to. The lights wobbled and scanned the area around. Two figures could be seen in the reflection's beam.

Without hesitation, Zarya ducked into the hallway behind one of the nurses stations. With light shining now, you can see this floor holds a row of patients rooms. 

"Vasiliev! Get over here, now!" Zarya whispered with a force, her tone frightening even if she wasn't addressing you.

You watched the man freeze, he stared down the hall before turning completely around. He began to shuffle back up the stairs in a desperate attempt to escape.

"Hey! Stop right there!" Voices from down the hall began to shout, the flashlights now stopped their scanning to focus on the stairs ahead of them. Zarya began to curse under her breath, before carrying you further down the hall.

With the commotion between the strangers running down the hall, Zarya was able to quickly open one of the patient rooms and shove both of you in there. The impromptu hiding spot was sufficient enough to keep you two out of sight as the strangers ran down the hall. Zarya placed you on the ground as the two of you listened to the banging of footsteps on the floor above you. Although your heartbeat is through the roof, Zarya doesn't seem to be struggling physically as much as you. Even while carrying you through the halls.

"I'm going to try and help him, you stay in this room and try to hide." Zarya gave you one more command. Although you weren't sure why she still continued to help this man, you respected her enough to just let her leave without a word. 

Once shutting the door behind her, you began to take a look around.

This room seemed different than yours; there was a couch and built in closet. The walls even held paintings of beautiful landscapes matched perfectly with bright blue skies. This possibly could be for the more permanent patients. 

You began to crawl towards the closet, seeing that it was the most reasonable choice for hiding. With little struggle, you slid the door open and pulled yourself inside. The tight space seemed to crush the air around you. The lack of any noise or light did little to comfort you. 

You waited patiently, your heart has barely managed itself under the stress of this situation. You brought a hand back down to your foot, movement still completely gone.

But a small, almost unnoticeable tingle tickled just below your knee. The cast now barely itching at the skin. 

That's good, right? Yeah, feeling is good.

Just as the thoughts ran through your head, the floor above you began to pound against the ceiling. The structure seemed to strain under the sudden force. The closet only amplified the bass of each hit, drumming against your lungs.

The sound paused, each second that passed was another without taking a breath. You've been trained to fight against all forms of fear, but your own physical capabilities prevented you from doing so. How were you going to defend yourself if you weren't even able to stand?

The ruffling has returned, a long with shouting voices. No longer were they on the floor above you, however. Each shout and each hit was heard down the hall, too close for any sort of comfort.

Your heart pounded against its confinements, the muscle sped up with each vibration in your ears.

"...can't! Th-The UN already know she's here!" A shrivel of a voice was deciphered behind the thin walls. The doctor could be heard speaking with fear dripping from each syllable. His accent now much clearer in the panic.

"I couldn't give two  _shits_ about the UN. Tell me where she is, and maybe I'll consider not blowing this sad excuse of a hospital right up into the fucking air." 

Your heart almost leaped out of your throat, breathing now became a desperate grasp for air. The voice was malicious, evil spewing from their tongue. The walls around you seemed to slowly disintegrate, as if any movement or even the slightest of your breath would tear a hole in the plaster. Leaving the absolutely terrifying figure to discover your hiding spot. Your eyes was fixated into a single point on the wall in front of you, unblinking with fear.

"W-What if you do it anyways?" The doctor replied. They seemed to have stopped their movement for the sake of the conversation. With every pause between replies, your pulse could be heard pounding in your ears. The noise deafening at this point.

"Ah.. Smart man! No wonder you're a Doc!" The voice, distinguishably male, began to chuckle at his own remarks. He actually  _laughed._ As if he just told comedy gold. "Tell ya what, how about we make a deal?" 

For a moment, there was silence. Other than your own beating heart, there was no evidence of life outside this closet. You weren't sure if you could consider the silence comforting, however. 

"What... What kind of deal?" Vasiliev spoke up. His words stabbing into your stomach. A light breath exasperated from your lips, worst fears began to fly through your mind's eye.

"Let's see-- how about you give me the girl, and I won't burn this hospital to the ground?" It's as if you could sense a smile on the man's lips, the way the words formed and resonated towards your hearing. He was enjoying every second of this interaction.

"You'll just do it anyways!" Vasiliev shot back, his own words caused you to fear for him. The tone doesn't seem exactly the right thing to use towards the mysterious figure.

"Ha! You're probably right. What about this, I'll give you my word! And--Listen up here's the kicker--I'll even give a little donation!" Again, the voice seemed comedic. It only added to the sinister vibe radiating from him. "It seems this little shit hole could use a mil or two. C'mon, the girl for a brand new hospital. Maybe then you could afford some fucking elevators. Damn stairs worn me out." 

"As if Reaper would let you make that deal. Idiot." The sudden intrusion of a woman's voice made it's debut. Her demeanor was uninterested, stoicism surrounded her remark.

"So what? I'll pay for it myself then. Fixing up this place costs about two missions for us. No biggie." The male voice responded, lax coated his words. A million dollars for two missions, what kind of work pays that much?

"How can I trust you?" Vasiliev responded. A string of words you never wanted to hear. 

You let out a muffled choke, a hand flew against your mouth to silence any noise. Your stomach began to work itself, attempting to force any substance back up.

"That's the gamble, boss. Take the deal and you might get a new hospital. Don't, and you'll end up buried with this one."

You couldn't bear to hear anymore. You began to choke on your pounding heart, your eyes clouded over the darkness with water. The doctor was actually negotiating for your life. You placed any form of hope on the fact that he never saw where Zarya hid you.

 

"She's somewhere on this floor."

 

_That fucking asshole._

 

"Woah! There it is! Was that so hard?" A laughter bellowed from the man's lungs. The vibrations could be felt against the walls, each one causing more and more disgust to form. His noises were a disease to you, even hearing it felt like you were contaminated. "Hold onto him, will ya?" 

More rustling could be heard, the light whimpers from the doctor passed the walls with ease and reached your hearing. 

After a moment, footsteps began to traverse the floor.

"So what room is she in, Doc?" His voice traveled the empty hall, he seemed to have circled around where he initially stood.

"I-I don't know. This is just where I last saw her." The doctors quick explanation kept driving the metaphorical dagger in your back even deeper. You shut your eyes in a poor attempt to stop the watering. 

"You don't even fucking know where she is?" The clownish personality twisted in a second, anger pooling at the base of their tongue. Your hand began to tremble against your face. Your breathing shaking with an equal quake. 

"She has to be here s-somewhere! She can't walk, there's no possibility of her using the stairs." The doctor reasoned, continuing to fight against you.

"Worthless..." The male replied. Steps began to resonate once more. 

Slow, agonizing steps made their way up to the hall's doors. The first door opened with a pounding force, causing you to flinch where you sat.

Your chest burned, the straining of your heartbeat caused pain to fill your lungs. Your stomach fought against its natural state, wanting to throw up. But there was nothing within, so the endless cycle of churning and cramping continued to work.

The man went door to door, slamming each with an impending force. Each step began getting louder, the force no longer vibrated the walls. But physically shook the structure around you. The closet seemed to suck every bit of oxygen while closing you in with each passing second. This was your most desperate moment, you just wanted to scream for help. Anybody to come rescue you, like they always did: Jesse, Lena, Genji,

Reyes. 

One more door, that was all that's left between you and the intruder. The definition of malice, Devil on earth. You had no means to defend yourself. You couldn't stand, drugs still ran their course through your veins. You haven't eaten since this morning, all your energy was spent during a pointless battle in the snow.

You were without a doubt, absolutely terrified.

Your teeth sunk into your cheeks, the tremble of your jaw pinched at the soft tissue. The metallic taste of blood now swirled over your tongue. Both hands clasped at your mouth, withholding any noise, peep, or even your  _breath._ Your eyes shut close, your muscles tensed. You awaited the sudden jolt of a door slamming open. You didn't even want to flinch when it did.

Sure enough, the door flung open with a heavy force.

The handle could be heard slamming into the door stopper. The contraption did little to muffle the pounding, however.

Steps, slow and precise, found their way inside the room. You could feel the floor shift by few fractions of a millimeter towards the center of the room, the weight of the assailant tilting the room's structure.

He paused, and so did you.

All forms of shaking ceased, your breathing cut itself off. You eyes, opened however. Fear forcing them to stare at the door in front of you. Waiting for him to burst through and maul you like the animal he is. 

_Step. Step._

Leather could be heard crunching under his foot. A light began to shine within the room, the shadow of two legs slipped under the sliding door.

With each movement, the blackened form danced over your feet. The white of your left cast contrasted against the shadow, it was as if he was touching you in that very moment.

Until they weren't.

The man began taking steps towards the door. The light followed him, along with his shadows. You held onto your breath, your hands still over your mouth. However, the water of your eyes remained.

Just a few more steps, and you can breath. 

He walked with immense ease, as if time worked for him. The creaking and bass was felt against the wall you were leaning on, you wondered if he could feel you move as well.

 

You wondered, until the very moment your stomach released the most agonizing growl it could ever produce.

 

The noise was infinite. With each octave it gave, you crunched over yourself. Your hands released from your mouth to clamp against your stomach, as if it would undue the noise it had already produced. Your watering eyes now scrunched closed, a tear released from it's duct, trailing down your cheek.

"I can't fucking believe it!" 

The man began to laugh, his statement was weased out with a chuckle. He began taking steps back, the light returning with a mocking gaze.

The speed at which he returned gave you no time to think, no moment of realization. Instantly and without a thought, the closet door slammed open.

Even with the door now open, you refused to look up. You watched the light shine against your feet, until being interrupted by a hand weaving itself into your hair.

"You hungry, Princess?" With swift movement, the man lifted you up by the hair. Laughter has now shattered your ear drums, there was no longer a wall to muffle the noise. "Guess who I found?!" 

Your hands shot up to the man's arm. His grip on your hair was impervious, your desperate claws did nothing.

"P-Please! I'm just a patient here!" Your voice cracked, the different ways you could lie began forming in your head, all the scenarios played as you were dragged along. Your good leg struggled to compensate for your frostbitten one. 

The man stopped walking. With an iron grip, he lifted you up higher to make eye contact.

"Why don't you take a good look at me,  _Princess._ " The man's voice was low, an animalistic undertone growled against the syllables.

Carefully, your clouded eyes looked up. The light was shining against his face, as if he wanted you inspect his features.

Short locks of auburn hair was messy atop his head, although you can see a quiff was the intended style. A sickeningly white smile shined back at you, taunting you with it's existence. 

Hazel eyes, those same pair used to comfort you.

"D-Donovan?" You choked out, almost wanting to suffocate at the name.

"Bingo!" He shouted with a mocking tone. A light chuckle dripped from his lips. "Make sure you know who you're lying to next time." Donovan Lowered you back down, you no longer struggled against your tippy toes. 

"Can you hurry it up, we were supposed to be done half an hour ago." A woman spoke in front of you. Black hair framed her features delicately. But the way she gripped Dr. Vasiliev's arm proved she was anything  _but_ delicate.

"Just one more thing." The two of you approached. The doctor stared at your form, remorse bleeding from his eyes.

Suddenly, two bright flashes emerged. Loud bangs synchronized with them.

Vasiliev faltered, the woman's grip began to release. In just a few moments, red began to pool within his pure white coat. Finally, he fell to the ground without a word of protest.

"Alright, clean up should be good to burn this place down now." Donovan holstered a handgun and fastened his grip against your hair. The tightening caused a more severe stinging sensation to emerge from your scalp. As Donovan dragged you close to his side, squeals resonated from your throat. 

You began to peel away his fingers, his thumb lifted slightly before he simply pulled you up higher. As if a reminder for you to behave.

"God, these stairs. Good thing we barely had to go up 3 levels." Donovan commented as you reached the stair case. He took his first step, but you held back with all your weight.

"I-I can't walk, I can't go down the stairs." Your nose was running, hiccups impaired your speech. You were an absolute mess, and yet you still tried to reason.

"You either walk or I throw you down. Your choice." Donovan tugged once more, furthering his point.

"Just carry the poor girl. What is she gonna do? Make you pity her to death?" The woman spoke ahead of you now. She had already gone down a few steps before stopping with the pair of you.

"Fucking Christ..." He walked back up to you, lifting you up with ease. One arm settled in the back of your knees, while the other held up your shoulder blades.

He took leisurely steps down, following the woman. You felt uncomfortable; dirty, even. You kept your arms off the man, but his body was already pressed so close against you. With this sort of vulnerability, you only had one option.

Donovan turned to reach another set of stairs, each one ending with a brief moment of flat tile. Once taking the first few steps, your arms snaked their way around his neck.

Before a reaction, or even a word, could come from him; you pulled on his head with so much force, he began to buckle forward.

The both of you instantly began to tumble down the stairs, almost knocking the girl right from under her.

"God DAMMIT!" Donovan shouted once he reached the bottom step. Your body flung forward, sliding further than where he landed.

You took the time he used to recover to quickly lift yourself onto your feet. You couldn't bother with crawling, even at the expense of your own leg.

You stumbled, tripped, and limped yourself as quickly as you could. You didn't turn around, you didn't have the courage too.

"I'm going to fucking  _KILL HER!"_ Donovan shouted down the hall. You could hear his footsteps gaining on you with ease.

You breathing began to pick up, tears started streaming down your cheeks.

But you pushed forward.

Donovan didn't bother to run, he knew he didn't have to. With your condition, all he had to do really was wait for you to fall over. But his anger prompted a chase from him.

Your heart broke against your ribs, your pulse was felt in every vein and every organ. Your body was on overdrive, the adrenaline was just starting to wear out. 

You managed to reach the end of a hall, and turning the corner with as much speed as you could.

You ended up smacking flat against metal, the sudden force caused you to stumble backwards. But it seemed the entity you hit didn't even flinch.

You landed on your bottom, your leg was unable to hold you up. The fear of looking back made you stare forward.

There they were, a familiar pair of brown boots.

Taking a quick glance up, a smile formed on your features. You began to let out a choked laughter, tears still staining your face as you eyed the obnoxiously red serape.

 

"What took you so long, Jesse." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOOooooooooaaAAAAhhhHHHHH So many questions?! Do I even have the answers?! Is McCree killing someone today?!! WHO KNOWS?! 
> 
> Okay in all seriousness, I was so excited writing this chapter, like it was supposed to be two parts BUT I JUST KEPT GOING!! Ohmygod let me know what you guys think in the comments!!!


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! lots of school, lots of being sick. But! i will make up for it this weekend, hopefully this wont be the only chapter you see by monday.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy! thank you for being patient.
> 
> Also, special thanks to @Evelyn for chapter suggestions from such a long time ago. I think chapter 13 is where they suggest some things that goes on in here.   
> ALSO @Mononasod FROM LIKE CHAPTER 3 SUGGESTING IT AS WELL, FINALLY GOT DOWN TO IT DARLING!  
>  And of course, @carmicazi helping me get this out here. They basically help me with every update at this point!

Tears streamed down your face, hiccups pulsed in your chest relentlessly. The man in front of you was your savior, once again.

"Darlin', you gonna point me to the sonavabitch that did this to you?" Jesse spoke with a low hum, his words quiet with the rage of a hellish monster. He reached down towards you. Your arms raised to meet him, much like if you were a child.

"N-No, we need to go. We need to go now." Your head nodded furiously as you wrapped your arms around Jesse's shoulders. You can hear each stomp get closer and closer down the hall.

"It's Donovan."

With one big swoop, Jesse lifted you off the ground. His grip around your waist was impervious, the tightening of his metal prosthetic dug into your hospital gown and into the skin. But instead of pain, the contact provided a sense of comfort. Your shaking body wrapped its much healthier leg around him as he began to retrace his steps.

"I'm gonna get you out, baby girl," Jesse whispered into your ear, "And I'm gonna fucking kill that sick bastard."

Jesse wouldn't admit it, but the sheer thought of you being frightened  _terrified_ him. You were a fighter, someone who stares straight into the devil's eyes and wouldn't blink. But then again, you've never met the devil. And now that he's chasing you down the hall, you were blinking furiously.

You struggled to hold onto him. Between quiet whimpers and the pain throughout your body, you didn't have the energy to continue. But Jesse held on, a gloved hand stroking your hair as he traversed the hall.

" ** _(Y/N)!_** " Donovan's rubble of a voice echoed throughout the floor. Vibrations from the booming yell tickled the back of your throat. Your grip unconsciously tightened, despite painful protests.

The two of you continued down twists and turns, and even a stair case at one point. Jesse's knowledge of the hospital lacked a quick exit, he instead kept close to the windows.

Your eyes were screwed shut, the fear of watching an impending doom was too much for you to bear. You can only sense the labored breathing from Jesse and the steps that followed.

You wish that was it.

Jesse turned the corner with no regard to what follows, his tracks skidded to a stop. Your grip struggled to hold on as it was hit with whiplash.

"Hey, umm. I'd rather you guys just stay here actually." The voice, it belonged to the girl from earlier. Her tone was bored, wanting to be anywhere but here.

"You either step aside or I step over you,  _little lady._ " Jesse's metal hand held onto you, his flesh one removing itself for a place on his hip.

"Uhh, yeah that's not gonna happen. Can you just chill out and hand her over or something, I don't really know what to say in this situation to be honest with you." Your head began to peel itself from his neck, the eyes finally opening its shutters.

From over your shoulder, you can see the girl standing in Jesse's way. She seemed to be young, her choice in dark clothing implied a more rebellious phase. Even the way she stood: arms crossed and leaned against one leg. She didn't really care much for what was happening, only wanting to get it over with.

She reminded you of yourself, when you were that age.

Jesse's peacekeeper found its spot in his hand, the red glint from his right eye began to brighten. From being so close, you can actually see the internal workings of the mechanical prosthetic.

"I'm only gonna tell you one more time,  **move.** " 

The girl stood solid, her expression either never-changing or simply unreadable. It almost seemed  _taunting_ of her.

Suddenly, yet with ease, she reached for her lower back. A Pulse Glock emerged within her hand, shining clean glares across the room. It seemed to be the much more modern version of Jesse's famed revolver. 

"You know, cowboy's are  _so_ 2020's." She raised her gun to match her eye level, her aim linear to the space between Jesse's eyes.

The moment seemed to hold forever, you could sense Jesse's breathing still into a mere exhale. The girl's stance held, her arm unwavering as she poised the weapon towards your savior. You couldn't breathe anymore, your body stopped its immense shaking. You could only watch in desperate helplessness as her finger began to squeeze the trigger.

"Hmph. She's a punk just like you, ain't she Darlin'?"

With the last syllable leaving his lips, Jesse turned his peacekeeper towards the window and fired a single, piercing shot. The glass webbed itself, lines cracking throughout the pane. The girl faltered, the sudden firing caused her to remove her index from the trigger entirely. Her facade has dropped into something more instinct, her boredom shifted into fright. Standing tall no longer, she hunched herself into a defensive position.

All this happening within seconds, she couldn't anticipate the sudden force of a new figure crashing through the shattered glass.

Despite the turbulent situation, you for once held your eyes open. Every image processed in your head without a pause. The girl's emotions all falling apart within milliseconds, you watched as her egotistical shield was stripped away from her. You could see everything.

Even the streak of emerald went unfiltered within your vision.

Your view was cut off when Jesse turned his body back around, a hand protecting your head from the glass shards. Your grip continued it's hold as Jesse ran towards a separate hall.

"Doll, you got us an exit?" For a moment you were confused as Jesse spoke into the air. But the muffled reply of another voice in his ear answered all lingering questions.

"Rendezvous is clear, all hospital personnel evacuated. Team's down here waiting for arrival." The fluent accent of Pharah's tongue spoke back from an ear piece. You could hear the voice faintly within Jesse's ear.

"Thank you, Sweetheart. Never disappoint." A faint smile appeared on his lips as he traversed the hall. The same smile, however, faltered with the stopping of his movement.

You're eyes widened, your breathing heaved in a scarce desperation. The muscles of your hands cramped as they squeezed deeper into Jesse's shoulders, his own returned with equal ferocity. A ravenous being stood in front of you, practically foaming at the mouth. 

" **(Y/N)...** " A low, malicious rumble clawed from the devil's throat. No sign of a man ever being there lingered.

"Donovan, please. Just let us leave. You know us, we were friends." Your voice faltered, it hiccuped and cracked. It cowered behind your teeth, unsure of being heard of in the first place.

"Friends? Princess, you were nothing more than the next **_meal_**." The menacing grin returned with no restraint, a low hum of a giggle emerged from his lungs. Jesse began taking a slow step backwards. He propped you up further to fix his grip on you, before being stopped by another force.

"(Y/N)." 

The sooth electronics returned, offering you a sense of unbelievable comfort. But yet, not enough to relieve you of your fear.

You turned you view behind Jesse. Genji stood straight, sheathing a crimson stained wakizashi. The metal shined under shattering moonlight, barely reaching the windows. Vials seeped out steam, but remained inside his shoulders. His visor seemed focus on the figure in front of you, who's chuckling raged on without pause.

"Take the girl."

You're focus turned back to the man holding you, your eyebrows slowly coming together. His eyes never seemed to leave the devil's.

"What?" Although just a whisper, the single word held a wave of emotion: confusion, opposition, and maybe even betrayal. The hiccups even gave you a break, just enough to get the question out.

Before any other noise could be exchanged, Genji reached your side and held his arms out. Jesse, without breaking eye contact with Donovan, passed you over into his arms. You held on, pulling on his serape.

"No no _no_!" You clawed, pulled, and kicked as best you can. Your own physical capabilities were nothing compared to Genji's. He simply wrapped a single arm around your waist, using the other to pry away your hands. Jesse did the best he could to remove them for you.

His muscles struggled to comply, he wanted so badly to keep holding on.

"It's okay, Sweetpea. I'm coming home to ya. Just get outta here." For the first time in what seemed like forever, he peeled his eyes away from Donovan to look at you. They were glossed over, but an undeniable sense of determination were held in both human and mechanical optics. 

You began to wail, screaming for Genji to let you go. Your injured leg flailed under you while the other kicked at the metal body you stuck to. You couldn't even see anymore, a clouded film covered your vision. The velocity at which Genji carried you away didn't help either.

Your childish behavior continued, all the scenarios playing in your mind like a poorly directed horror movie. The ways Donovan could tear him apart, oh God. Your throat clamped on itself, various spasms of muscles rippled under your skin. They forced noises to force themselves out of your trachea, choking on the way up.

"(Y/N), McCree is skilled, determined. He is going to be okay." Genji held onto your struggling form, taking the stairs all the way down to the ground floor. His words offered little comfort.

" _NO!_ He can't do it by himself!" You began to wiggle your body, forcing him to get a better grip on your waist.  "Let me go! You've done it once before!"

The words struck him the instant they left your lips. His body froze, his grip solid however. For a moment you paused, but you couldn't even process your own statement in order to regret it.

So again, you kicked and punched.

Genji currently held you at the bottom of the stairs, the exit seemingly close. But he still couldn't bring himself to take the last steps.

"I'm sorry." 

Another punch, another kick.

"I'm  _so_ sorry."

Hiccups ravished your lungs. Your arms no longer held the energy to fight back.

"You're so stupid." Various tears and mucus ran down your face as you spoke. Sweat drenched in your pores, saliva found it's way down your chin. It wasn't a pretty sight, but Genji still found himself looking straight into your eyes through a shield of emerald.

"So fucking stupid." Your toes caressed the ground, Genji loosened his grip as you stopped fighting back. But he still managed to hold you close against him.

"I know." He replied behind a sheet of metal. You couldn't even look him in the eyes as he spoke.

Your lips quivered, your face scrunching as the wave of emotion flooded back in.

"I needed you, and you left me."

Each syllable struggled on the way out, they struggled even further to process through Genji's hearing. You could feel his chest enlarging with each intake of air, he could feel every twitch of a hiccup from yours.

"I'm here now. What ever you need, I can help you." Genji spoke without hesitation. He watched as you struggled to look through he visor, a sad attempt at making eye contact.

"Then let me go. Let me help him." Barely above a whisper, but with the impact of a tsunami.

Genji turned his head away, you tilted yours in an attempt to follow. In one swoop, Genji reached under your legs and back to pick you back up properly. You didn't fight it. You didn't even bother to verbally protest. You simply rested in his arms as a weeping mess.

"You don't understand, your safety is helping him." 

You closed your eyes, resting a head on his shoulder. Your body was too exhausted, too pained, to do anything more. You were past all capabilities, instead choosing defeat for the first time in your life.

Each step lulled you into a much needed sleep, but you felt you didn't deserve it. Sleep was a haven, and you were not pure.

But you decided to break through the gates anyways.

 

_You sat in a fresh field of green, the smell of morning dew would cool your lungs and bring a fragrance of aspiring blossoms. An endless amount of silky black hair bundled within your hands as you braided it. You combed through each individual strand, before folding it over the next part. Repeating over and over again, until the twisted pattern began to form._

_That was, until the splattering of red paste stained the hair in your hands._

_"Genji! You get more tomato over here and I will double this exercise!" You screamed from behind Hanzo, his hair now tangled with sticky substances._

_"Well sit further way, Princess!" Genji stood quite a few feet away from the pair of you. He held onto a solid metal katana, stains of various fruits all over his body and the blade. Two staff members stood a good distance in front of him, a basket of said fruit between them._

_"How am I supposed to see how you're doing if I sit farther? Use your head, stupid!" The insults fly back and forth between for a more moments longer. You unconsciously brought a damp towel to Hanzo's hair as you cleaned away the tomato._

_"Just let me do my thing! God... So annoying." Genji spoke under his breath, to which he received a running shoe to the side of the head._

_"Speak up when you disrespect me! Coward!" Your sock soaked up the watery grass as Genji soothed his ear and temple. Your shoe lay next to his feet, undisturbed._

_Without another word, Genji took his stance. He held the sword right in the middle of his body, facing the two in front of him. One of the girls grabbed at an orange, waiting for Genji to approve the throw._

_With one swift nod, the girl tossed the citrus in his direction. You watched as the orange flew across the air, meeting his blade with elegant swiftness. But the silent stain of an orange droplet hit his center, disregarding all form of praise._

_"Again. Protect your center, don't let a single droplet hit your torso."_

_With a groan and mumbled cursing, Genji held up his stance again._

_One more nod, one more fruit, one more failure._

_The process continued as you sat with Hanzo. He simply took to reading one of the multitudes of Shimada owned books, the printed paper being a luxury._

_After each disapproval, you brought your attention back to Hanzo's long locks. His hair smooth as silk, easy to play with._

_"Can we just call it a day? C'mon we have a party tonight." Genji pleaded, his whining now turning innocent rather than the distasteful juvenile behavior of just a few minutes ago._

_You looked up at him, watching every feature contort themselves to gain your pity. You simply curled your lips, heartfelt warmth within your eyes._

_"No."_

_Genji let out another groan. His head bobbed lifelessly around his shoulders, before he finally collapsed into the ground._

_"Hanzo... please..." His desperate cries to his brother seemed low, even for him._

_"(Y/N), he's been working diligently. Give him the rest of the day." Hanzo spoke in front of you, his nose still buried in the pages._

_"Since when were you so compassionate for your brother." You continued to braid his hair, not a single strand out of place._

_"I'm not, I just know that now he will continue to complain until you let him go." You paused, his argument was sound. You could see over his shoulder how the two staff members checked on Genji. His body lay still as they peered above him, unsure of what actions to take._

_"Why does this conversation seem familiar." You questioned, maybe more to yourself than anything._

_"Because this happens before every event."_

_"Hm."_

_Genji began to wiggle into the ground as the two girls prodded at him, seemingly hitting is ticklish spots._

_"Alright bird brain, you got the day off. But you're paying for ramen tonight."  It seems, ever since you gave him a break a few weeks ago, he brings himself the responsibility of getting you Rikimaru Ramen every time you give him the day off._

_Genji shot up from the ground, grass stuck to his hair and cheek. The girls both squealed in surprise as the Shimada rose from the ground._

_"Yes! Falling in love with you every day, Princess!" He fist bumped the air, kicking himself up on his feet._

_"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Tomorrow is gonna be a tough one, be prepared." You combed your fingers through Hanzo's hair, undoing your work for him. Although he doesn't mind you playing with his hair, he does appreciate you undoing any sort of work afterwards._

_"Hanzo, you plan on bringing a date tonight?" You rose to your feet, the man sitting in front of you began to slowly follow._

_"Mm. Not quite. Father appreciates me being the more reserved son." He lifted himself, and kept eye contact with you as he rose from under you. His height grew exponentially as he finally reached his peak, a full head taller than you. "Why do you ask?" A familiar Shimada smirk graced his features._

_"Oh, no particular reason." You feigned ignorance, doe eyes looked up towards him. Until you turned over your shoulder, watching Genji walk back to the estate with both staffers on either side. "I just kind of want you to save me tonight." You finally expressed bluntly._

_Your expression turned more obvious, no longer feeling the need to hint the elder brother. Hanzo let out an elegant chuckle, bringing an arm around your shoulders as he escorted you back to the house._

_"No way, he's your problem." You slumped your shoulders, the plan being executed poorly. "However, it would be a pleasure."_

_Hanzo glaces down at you, the offer hanging onto your side now._

_"As a savior, or a real date?" You asked in return. Hanzo simply let out air, a smile adorning his features._

_But before he could answer, the hyperactive personality of his brother returns with no reluctance._

_"(Y/N)! C'mon! You either get the damn noodles now, or not at all!" Genji yelled as the two of you walked to the gates. You looked up at Hanzo, waiting for his answer. But he simply nodded his head towards his brother._

_"Go, before he drags you by the hair." You felt the need to stay, the conversation ending on questionable terms. But without another word, you simply nodded a goodbye and fled to the younger Shimada._

_Hanzo changed his mind, he didn't feel the need to take the one good thing from his younger brother's life. Especially with what you've done for him so far._

 

_You walked along side Genji. The sun beating down on the two of you as you traveled down the routine path towards the ramen shop. A statement here and there, a joke every once in a while. The conversation didn't seem to hold for very long before changing subjects, but you didn't mind. The aura was calming, Genji kept his signature remarks to a minimum._

_"What if I bought the dress?"_

_"No! I'm working!"_

_Currently, Genji pressed on about making you his date for the event. However, as a member of the staff, it was your assigned duty to waitress for the night._

_"What if I said I already talked to my father, and he's perfectly fine with it?" Genji kept his charm up, but remarks regarding innuendos or anything of the sort was kept hidden._

_"I don't care, I'm still going to work tonight. Tell Eito I said 'thanks anyways'." You assured, but Genji pressed on._

_"What if-"_

_"Stop."_

_"How about-"_

_"No."_

_Genji paused, choosing his next words wisely. Until the sudden passing of an elderly couple caused him to stop completely._

_"Oh, do you need help with those?" Genji turned, he watches as you approached the couple. They both carried bags way too heavy for their aching bones. With winkled smiles, each one began displaying rays of gratitude and appreciation at your offer._

_You grabbed each individual's load into your arms. Despite your stature, you were much more capable of handling a few bags than you looked._

_Genji paused in the street, watching as you walked the complete opposite way in order to help the strangers. You didn't know them, you didn't owe them anything. Yet you helped anyways._

_Before Genji could lose you completely, he began speeding towards the three of you. Because of the slow pace of the couple, he was able to catch up with ease._

_"Here lemme take those," Genji reached out, grabbing the bags in your arms. Leaving you with nothingness._

_"Oh my! Such a handsome boy!" The elderly woman commented from your side, she reached an arm out to his bicep. She gentle caressed the muscle, giggling at her own actions._

_"If only his personality was as pretty, Ma'am." You spoke up, Genji shooting you a wink._

_"I'm charming, actually."_

_The four of you walked for a few blocks. You and the woman spoke the entire time, as if the two of you were girl friends. Genji walked beside the husband, occasionally sharing a word or two of the women they were with. The man would comment on the woman's beauty, and Genji would do the same. He would mention how her personality stayed the same throughout the decades, Genji simply hoped yours would as well. For every comment the man made on his wife, Genji would find something of equal value for you._

_Both of you being too focused on each other to even notice the men's comments._

_You and the woman managed to walk ahead, reaching their home just a few steps quicker than the boys. She kept her arm wrapped around yours as you both stopped at the front door, finishing up the discussion._

_"Oh the one with the funny hair!" You exclaimed while motioning towards your own head, finally understanding the woman's description of an actor from her soap operas._

_"Yes! He was the one who killed the girl!" You gasped with the statement, surprise now etched into your features. You were so into her own take of the show, it seemed as if you were currently watching it yourself through her words._

_"No way!" Your eyes were wide, desperate for more._

_"Alright, love. We better get these inside before they go bad." Genji had now passed the bags over to the husband. He held onto a key with a shaking hand, opening the entrance to their home._

_"Stop by anytime, dear! I even have the show recorded, we can watch it together!" The woman let out a struggling giggle, her age preventing her from letting out a full laughter. You smiled in return, grasping her hands in goodbye._

_"Of course, it was very nice meeting you both." You waved to the both of them. Their winkled, stained skin smiling back at you and Genji._

_"Don't be afraid to bring the boy! It's nice to have some more eye candy other than my husband!" Your mouth was agape, the husband simply laughing as he receded into the home. Luckily, taking no offense to the comment._

_They closed the door behind themselves, leaving you to snort at Genji's expression. It seemed he was struggling to accept being hit on by an elderly woman. All the more reason to laugh at him._

_"So, what did you talk about with the husband?"  You wrapped an arm around his, both of you matching in pace down the street._

_"Just how beautiful-" Genji looked down at you, making eye contact."-I am."_

_You slapped his chest, earning a wheeze from him. He let out a chuckle once gaining his breath. You simply held back a laughter, not wanting him to see your amusement._

_"Whatever. I'm not surprised." You squeezed his arm, now settling into the walk._

_Genji didn't say another word. He simply watched from his view above you how you pouted your lips, and leaned against him. Even though you didn't return his feelings quite in the same way, a friendship was still good enough for him. No matter the injuries._

_But even so, he had hopes. His own personal goal of "Winning you over" was something he didn't take lightly. You weren't just another score, or a bet. You were something more. So with a relationship as platonic as it is now, he still felt like a winner._

 

_A winner, is what a Shimada was raised to be._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cuts off flashback because I'm evil* Gah! Expect this to resume next chapter, however c;   
> Also, i hope this was okay. I am so unsure of this chapter, I feel like everything was rushed or unreasonable. But personally I do like it i just feel it could have been executed better.   
> As for the suggestions from @Evelyn and @Mononasod, they thought about the whole Hanzo coming in tryna swoop up reader. Expect him to make a return very very soon!  
> I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED THIS! I really do expect next chapter to be so much better though! I hope to see you all in the next update! <3


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Blood + swearing + gore + implied sexual acts(?)

Jesse stood straight. His shoulder's naturally slumped, but his height was still ever intimidating. His decorated hat sat tilted forwards on his head, covering his eyes with every look to the ground. Despite his own fears, he physically was calm. His hand rested on his peacekeeper's holster, ready for any sign to pull.

From across the hall, Donovan stood with an animalistic demeanor.

His breathing was labored, he snarled his teeth. He seemed injured to a degree, blood ran down his nose. His eyes twitched with every movement, as if he was on the hunt for his next victim. He wasn't always like this, Jesse remembers. He used to be a sweet kid, full of life. Always put others first, even at his own expense. 

But slowly, the seduction of vice and various desirables corrupted his very being. The man serving good no longer believed in such ideals. He was one of the few who fell with Blackwatch, Jesse could only stand by and watch it happen.

"I see you're still dressing up for Halloween, Cowboy." Donovan suddenly spoke up through bared teeth. A grin managed to find its way back up.

"I see you still think your jokes are funny." Despite the familiarity in his statement, Jesse did not  _at all_ find this to be a laughing matter.

Donovan let out a chuckle, which then escalated into a gasping laughter. An arm found it's way across his stomach, as he slowly bent backwards unnaturally. His guffawing turned menacing, Jesse stared in disgusted confusion as he contorted with each intake of air.

Until it suddenly stopped.

Halfway bent backwards, Donovan ceased all forms of vocalization. His stance was frozen, Jesse unsure of what action to take. Of course, with a hand on his peacekeeper, he could take a shot right now. But there was sinking feeling in his gut  _not_ to. As if any form of aggression would be matched with something far worse, his every being could be cannibalized by this monster in front of him.

Slowly, Donovan curled himself back up. Not a single noise could be heard, nor expression could be seen.

"I'm going to kill her, McCree." 

Jesse's stance hardened, his expression now shifting into something more savage.

"Have to go through me, y'know that." Jesse's words held an undeniable sense of defense. Like a bear protecting its cubs.

"Oh, believe me,  ** _I plan on it._** " The corners of his lips rose again, his bloodied nose now seeping into his teeth. Pink and red pooled in the pearly whites, and he didn't seem to mind one bit.

One by one, Donovan began taking excruciatingly slow steps towards Jesse. He was playing with him, Jesse knew this.

Taking his own steps back, Jesse pulled out the peacekeeper. His mechanical eye now working overtime. The marker's locked onto him, his aim matched with the calibrated systems. Donovan watched as the process unfolded, but did nothing for precaution.

It worried Jesse, how sluggish he was. It even brought the cowboy doubts, was he really able to take him on? Of course, when they worked together it was a no-brainer; Jesse won skirmishes all the time. But this isn't work, it's not a skirmish, and it's most definitely not Donovan.

 "You know, (Y/N)'s grown hasn't she?" Donovan spoke, insincere intentions laced his words.

Jesse didn't say anything only rose his metal hand to his revolver's hammer. 

"God, and I thought she was a looker back in Blackwatch." His smile widened, impossibly so. He continued stepping forward, Jesse now aiming right between the eyes.

"Shut the fuck up."

Jesse fired, his own anger pulling the trigger. His hand slamming against the hammer to match each pull. Donovan simply paused his trek, holes now adorning his features. Blood streaked down every curve of his skin, bone and muscle was exposed. 

"But  _my,_ what I'd do to her now." 

Jesse's eyes widened, the holes visibly regenerating in front of him. The flesh filled itself, calcium building into new bone cells. His malicious grin still featured as the main attraction. 

"What in God's name..." Jesse spoke under his breath, faltering as he took further steps back. His eye struggled to recalibrate, unsure of targeting the already hit mark.

"Man, she's just got these lips too, ya know? The things they could do for you!" Donovan began to speed up, animating his sentence in the process. His hands motioning to his own mouth for emphasis.

"You're fuckin' disgusting, I wouldn't let you _near_ her!" Jesse began to fire again, manually however. He fanned his shots, some hitting the now speeding devil as he approached. But they did little to stop or slow him.

"And her curves, God her _curves_! I just want to go over every inch of her!" As Donovan finished his sentence, he reached a fist out to Jesse. He grabbed at his famed serape, pulling Jesse close.

"When I get my hands on her, I'll make sure to show her a time the Shimada kid couldn't." Jesse used his enhanced strength from his prosthetic to crush the bone of one of Donovan's forearms. But he didn't flinch, he simply used his other hand to raise a fist over Jesse. "I'm a decent human being, McCree. I'll at least let her have some fun before I kill her."

Donovan lifted his fist further, gathering all the power he needed to crush down on the man in his grasp. Jesse squeezed his eyes closed, bracing for impact. All he could see was your image etched into the dark of his eyelids.

But the strike never came.

The grip around his serape loosened, Jesse's body weight hit the ground with a light thud. Opening his eyes, Jesse is immediately hit with a purple haze surrounding him.

"What is this?" Donovan scooted back, inspecting the sudden aura that separated him and Jesse.

"Go ahead, hit him." 

An obviously accented voice appeared behind Jesse. With the turn of a head, he could see a woman of quite the stature standing behind him. Her features were bloodied, presumably from a fight. But a bright pink locks still shined through, clean and perfectly combed. 

"And who the fuck are you?" Donovan lost his grin, now confusion replacing his demeanor.

However, instead of answering, the woman lifted quite the machinery to her side. A violet orb hazed in a circular motion towards the center of the contraption. With a quiet click, the orb began to dance quicker. Metal rings circled around it in a speeding manner.

Without a second passing, the now assumed weapon fired a large purple projectile towards Donovan. Jesse watched as it illuminated over his head, he could feel the heat of immense energy as it passed by. Within milliseconds, the orb reached it's destination at Donovan's feet. An explosion way too large for the size of the orb sent the devil flying: in pieces.

"The Hell...?" Jesse spoke to himself as he watched the events unfold. Donovan's body was now a burnt mess of flesh and bone. His torso for the most part was still intact, he could see the muscles already forming new limbs.

"Cowboy, you are (Y/N)'s friend, da?" Jesse turned, the mentioning of your name grabbed his attention. As the woman awaited an answer, the purple haze around him faded away. Molecules of violet collapsed on itself before disappearing completely.

"Uh, you are?" Jesse asked with a shaking head. He doesn't know this woman, yet she knows you.

"A friend. I saw you with her earlier. I would have helped but you see," She pointed to her own injuries. "I had my own problems."

With an outstretched arm, she reached down towards Jesse. Taking one look back at Donovan, he realizes he has already formed the arms. His body now worked with the legs.

Jesse took the woman's hand, her strength bringing him up to his feet. Without another second lost, she motioned for him to follow. Jesse took to trusting her over staying with the Devil-on-Earth forming his body back.

The woman lifted the weapon, the metal seemingly much heavier than she let him believe. Now that he's paying attention, Jesse could see she's pure muscle. Her arms bulging as she carrying the energy contraption. But not once did she break a sweat.

Since they were already on lower floors, it seemed she didn't have to escort Jesse for very long. He can see the lights of the Orca shining through the windows. Winston seems to have brought the jet closer, now that the forest was in between here and where it was parked before.

"Is that your people?" The woman asked, still gunning for the exit.

"Indeed that is." Jesse answered truthfully. There didn't seem to be a reason for him to lie to someone who clearly saved him.

"It seems, mine have already left." She let out an air of a quiet laugh. Seemingly more for hiding sullen meaning rather than finding her statement funny. 

Jesse didn't press on, seems like the words were for herself rather than him.

Both newly founded partners reached the main lobby. Giant glass door's separated them and the the Orca. For the first time after many attempts, Jesse was now able to leave.

With a gentle shove, Jesse pushed the doors open. There being no electricity, the doors couldn't automatically open for him.

 

But it seems, leaving the hospital didn't exactly equate to leaving it's problems.

 

_You stood in front of a mirror, hair pulled out of your face and into the least distracting style. Kyo tied the draw strings of your vest from behind, the black contrasted heavily with the white dress shirt underneath._

_"How come I can't just do clean up today?" You whined from your position in front of the woman, you could hear the faint snort of laughter radiate from the elder._

_"Stop complaining! Mr. Shimada offered you a spot at the table and you refused." You tugged at your tie, the black fabric ironed neatly into crisp folds. Once given your duties for the evening, you truly did begin to consider Eito's offer._

_Kyo's palms flattened against your back. She smoothed over the fabric, leveling out any creases or imperfections. She made her way around, inspecting your entire form._

_Kyo paused, your height towered over her as she took a step back to take in the view._

_"You have grown to be quite the woman, (Y/N)." A faint smile appeared on her wrinkled skin, she kept her eyes on your body. She seemed to be reminiscing back to the days she found you._

_Or the days you found her._

_"It's been two years, Kyo." You offered her a smile in return, taking her hands in yours. "And I'd like to think I've stayed the same in those years."_

_"Not quite, I can tell how you've changed. And I think I can guess why." The corner of her lip upturned just barely higher than the other, giving off a more mischievous demeanor._

_You gave her a squint, attempting to read her body language. Looking for any sign to expose why she thinks so._

_"I'm not sure I know what you mean, and maybe it's best I don't." You let go of her hands, a smile still lingering. You took to inspecting your uniform one last time before going out._

_"It's the boy, it seems even Genji's charm could affect you as well." Kyo turned away, her words striking you with ease. You took to turning back to her, your expression of scrutiny replaced with confusion. "And I was starting to think you were into girls. No other woman would reject Hanzo's advances as well as you do. I would imagine any other lady would trade places with you; Princess to the Shimada heir."_

_You began to choke on air, the unfiltered comment being equal parts hilarious and astounding. You let out a snorting laughter, unsure of how exactly to respond to her bluntness._

_"Kyo! Don't mistake his kindness for 'advances'! If anything, Genji is the one advancing. The boy can't keep it to himself to save his life." You began to compose yourself, your posture returning to that of a professional. Kyo simply let out muffled giggling. Her sleeve covering her lips in an attempt to soften the noise._

_"Much like the fairy tails from when I was young. The men with the world in their hands, except for 'her'. Such an affair could lead to a devastating quarrel. Be careful with the power you wield, (Y/N)." Kyo's warning seemed lighthearted, but behind the the metaphor held a sense of peril. The more you held onto the words, the more you were unsure of their meaning._

_"Even if they did have any sort of real feelings, I doubt such a schoolboy crush would cause anything more than juvenile jealousy." You reached for your assigned metal tray, already balancing it like you were trained for. Kyo took a seat, now satisfied with her work getting you ready._

_Her comments still circled your mind. It's not like Genji's feelings were real, he just wanted to add another name to his list. And Hanzo has never showed any feelings of such. He simply was a friend, and you knew for a fact he felt the same. Right?_

_"You never know, dear. Shimada's are emotional creatures. Trust me, I've been with them since before Eito took his place as the head." She began reaching for a tablet, presumably to finish the novel she downloaded earlier. "Why do you think no one ever mentions the mother within these walls?"_

_She looked up at you, the question now dangling in the air. Your eyebrows pinched together, she never really is talked about here. It wasn't like you didn't know who she was. You've seen the portraits, the shrine dedicated to her. One of the newest wings of the estate is even named after her. But it's true: She is never really spoken of._

_"(Y/N), guests are arriving!"_

_The suddenness of another waiter came by the door, he poked a head in to relay the message. Looking back to Kyo, you find she already began indulging herself in whatever paragraph she left off of. You decided against interrupting her, and made yourself out the room to follow the colleague._

_Kyo's sudden cryptic behavior left a unsettling feeling in the pit of your stomach. But you had work to do._

 

_"Ma'am, would you like a drink?" You held out a silver tray, multitudes of glasses balanced on top. The bubbling alcohols awaited consumption as you held them out._

_It was a cool night, it being Autumn now. Various lamps surrounding the courtyard provided enough heat to keep the guests content._

_"Oh! Thank you, Miss!" A manicured hand reached out for the closest drink. Polished fingers took their time wrapping around the stem, the weight being lifted did little to offset you. And once it was gone, you moved onto the next group._

_Repeated questioning of thirst continued for some time. Your free hand began to grow tired of its position behind your back, but nothing in comparison to the arm holding the tray. Even with your shoulder holding the brunt of the weight, it was still tingling with the early signs of cramping._

_"Not gonna offer me a drink?"_

_The all too familiar voice spoke from behind. You debated whether or not turning around, but seeing as you are serving tonight: You felt obligated to._

_"Would you like a glass, Genji?" Upon turning, you find a grinning Shimada towering over you. The boy seemed to be enjoying himself in this situation. Especially since you couldn't yell your usual profanities at him.  
_

_"Keepin' off the drinks tonight. Gotta be on my best behavior for you, Sweetheart." You pulled away the tray, choosing to loosen up a bit. The surrounding members glanced over momentarily, unsure of your casual behavior._

_"You'll still find away to mess around." The corner of your lips lifted, to which Genji's smile widened. His dimples beginning to make an appearance._

_"If you had just taken up my offer, you'd be able to keep me out of trouble." Genji began to lean against a near by counter top. It being still early into the night, the bar was empty for now._

_"I can't just bail out of work." You placed the tray next to him, finally relieving your arm of it's torturous employment. The action caught the eyes of a few guests. "Your father puts a roof over my head, I should at least show up to the job."_

_"He's the one who invited you. I don't understand, just have some fun tonight! Let loose, have regrets later. That's what Tomorrow's are for anyways."_

_Genji gave you a heartwarming smile, his eyes however stayed on the crowd. People were conversing, a few laughs could be heard over the classical music. Nothing too obnoxious, however. It wouldn't be very classy of them. It was strange to think, that such an event could hold any regrets. Probably the closest thing to one was the boy next to you. You kept your eyes on him, his hair was neatly combed back and out of his face. The shadow of his dimple barely protruded, his smile being light. Genji turned to face you, his eyes catching your gaze. You simply watched as the crisp of his collar stressed slightly under the movement. Nothing too messily, however._

_You both watched each other for a moment, simply observing. The people around you seemed to go nonexistent, just for the quickest of seconds._

_"Genji! Dear, how are you?" A woman of quite the age cut in. Wrinkles framed her shining teeth, the smile seemingly never ending. Her eyes widened at Genji's sight. Chunky mascara and blotchy eye shadow adorned her chocolate brown eyes. Black hair was held up high in a braided bun. Even for her obvious age, she seems to take extra care in keeping her hair black. Almost undetectable gray roots gave her secret away._

_"Nan, they dragged you out here?!" Genji wrapped his much larger arms around the smaller woman. Upon hearing her nickname, you perked up. You swiftly grabbed the tray and held your stance._

_"Oh, I wanted to see you and Hanzo! You two don't visit me anymore! How else am I going to watch my boy's grow?" Her makeup left a light imprint against Genji's black shirt. Seemingly taking notice, the woman attempts to rub it off. Her poor attempts lead her to simply leaving her mark on him._

_"It's been busy around the house, Nan. I'm glad you made it here today, what's a party without you?" Genji kept an arm around her. You attempted to squeeze behind him and return to the event. But the sudden grasp of his free hand prevented you from moving. The woman didn't seem to notice, a muffled peep from your throat couldn't even bother her._

_"I'm afraid I'm just a little too old to be the life of one anymore. You should have seen me back in the day, you would have been proud." Her wrinkles returned with the smile. Genji simply let out a breath of a laugh. But his iron grip held against your arm._

_"Nan, you remember (Y/N)? I told you about her during my last visit." You froze, the situation going down a path you didn't want to drive through._

_"Oh yes! The sweet girl who put you in your place! Of course, I couldn't forget a woman like that. Is she here?" She began taking a look around, her clouded eyes squinted at every pretty face that walked by._

_"Uh, yes. Over here, Nan." Genji began to tug at you, your body still hid behind him. "This is (Y/N)."_

_Genji finally managed to push you forward. The glasses you were balancing slid just a centimeter as you were tugged forward. The liquids inside danced with the force, only to settle back down to a light wobble. You stood straight, your eyes were headlights as you stared into the shorter woman's features. Her expression was blank as she looked right into  your eyes._

_"(Y/N), this is my grandmother Ayumi." Genji stepped aside, giving his grandmother a full view of your figure._

_She stepped forward, no shame in inspecting your whole body. Your tie felt constricting as she observed every single detail. Every blemish now beaming in your mind. She could probably even sense how nervous you were in this moment. Her eyes remained squinted, brows glued together._

_Suddenly, she stuck out a frail hand._

_Age spots adorned the leathery skin. Her knuckles protruded out of the skin, seemingly no fat or muscle within the appendage. And yet, her nails were still manicured to perfection._

_"It's so nice to finally meet you, dear! You may call me 'Nan', you are family, after all." Her immensely white teeth made their return, easing you into calm._

_You raised your hand to match hers, a gentle shake turned into a hug when she pulled you close. It seemed very personal quite quickly, traditionally a handshake would have even been a step too far in your position. A simple bow would have been the appropriate response, but this woman's personality seems much too friendly for such a trivial greeting._

_"So you put my boy in his place now? No wonder. Such a beautiful girl would of course have him by a leash." The comment left you stunned, embarrassment rising to your cheeks._

_"O-Oh, I wouldn't think so-"_

_"Nan, it's because she can kick my ass at any given moment. But believe me with her looks, I'd let her do it a million times over." Genji interrupted you with a wink. Ayumi let out a strained laugh, she patted your hand as she clasped it between hers._

_"My, she has me sold already. Just marry the girl, Genji." Her expression held its joyous content. She kept her eyes on you as you struggled to keep composed. They tray wobbled against your shoulders._

_"I was thinking of popping the question on the third or fourth date, that's if her training doesn't kill me first." They both look at you as if inspecting, Genji brought a hand up to his chin to emphasize the character. But Ayumi held her same expression as she watched you._

_"Haha! Oh gosh, I wasn't expecting you to be so comedic!" You began to force out a laugh, the tray now shaking dangerously._

_However, the drinks were the least of your problems at this point._

_"I wasn't joking." Ayumi kept her expression stern. The typical Shimada stoicism now cooling the situation down into awkwardness. You forced the brakes on your sad excuse of laughter, your eyes returning to their widening fear. Genji turned to face his grandmother, her statement seemingly surprising him as well._

_"I-Umm, I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend you!" You adjusted the tray in front of you, allowing you to bow safely with the drinks in your hands. A light air of laughter radiated in front of you._

_"That's okay, dear. The only thing I find offensive here is Genji. He should have snatched you up already." The embarrassment was now handed to Genji. Upon raiding your head, you see he has taken an interest in the ground. His cheeks brightened into a light crimson. This was actually a very sweet side to him you've never seen._

_"If it offers any relief, I can say he has tried. Immensely." You raised your body, now confident enough to face Ayumi. Her smile widened at the words, giggles and hiccups escaping her lips._

_"Apparently not hard enough..." Genji whispered under his breath, earning a good smack from Ayumi's clutch. The bag hit his stomach with a force you didn't expect she held, Genji let out a muffled groan upon impact. You simply shot a hand up to your mouth, withholding any sort of laughter._

_"Treat her like a lady and maybe it wouldn't be so difficult." Ayumi began to turn back to you offering you a quick smile. "I'll let you two kids be, I'm off to find Eito. It seems I haven't embarrassed him enough this afternoon."_

_She begins to take steps away, a group of men you hadn't noticed before began to follow. Ringlets of wires trailed from their collar into their ears. You counted at least five men before they disappeared into the crowd behind Ayumi. Security seems to be high for her, she could be one of the council members._

_You take a mental note for your report later._

_"Sorry about that, she can be a little extra sometimes." Genji's cheeks still held the remnants of their fluster from earlier. You watched as he struggled to keep eye contact, his eyes would only land on you for a second before finding interest in something else. You've never seen him this way, you didn't think he could even get like this. The Playboy himself is embarrassed, for once._

_You thought about what Ayumi said. Even if it was a little too much, it opened Genji up to a version of him you thought didn't exist. It was vulnerability, the simple thought of him being awkward about a girl tugged at the strings in your heart. It played a tune you've never felt, it was warm and comforting._

_The most heartfelt piece of this situation however, was the girl he was red-faced for was you._

_"Hey, I'll be right back. Don't get into trouble while I'm gone." You set the tray against the counter top of the bar, uncaring of the job you were assigned. What's one less waitress going to do?_

_"Where you going?" Genji called after you as you began weaving through the crowd, you didn't slow your steps as you turned your head._

_"It's a surprise." You finished with a wink, the sudden switch in roles left Genji stunned. He wasn't exactly expecting you to take such a playful demeanor, especially after everything that turned out with his grandmother._

 

_"Isn't that my line?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I'm extremely sorry to say that instead of updating weekly, I'll be updating every 2 weeks. 
> 
> I hope you guys will still enjoy just as much, and of course if I manage to get a chapter in between updates then you will most definitely see it.
> 
> Thank you all for your patience and I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please comment what you think! I love to hear what you have to say!


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Alcohol + voices in your head (not sure if that should be a warning, let me know if people need that tagged)
> 
> I should just rename this to "How many cliche's can you fit in one story"  
> I hope you guys enjoy, I think this chapter turned out well!  
> Leave a comment on what you think!

_It was quiet, only the muffled bass could be felt through the castle walls._

_You took the necessary turns and twists to get to the room you were heading for. Every once in a while, a lone worker would pass you in the halls. A simple nod of acknowledgement would suffice for your coworkers._

_With each step, a rubber band of anxiety would attempt to pull you back. Your previous facade of playfulness has now faded. The vexation of a million thoughts swarmed your mind, to not give into a moment of false_ _infatuation. You knew you shouldn't--but it was just so tempting._

_Eventually, you faced the door to your destination._

_Your stomach knotted, nervousness pooling up your throat. It's okay, you told yourself. There is no need to worry._

_"I'm gonna regret this..."  You huffed out a breath of air, wrapping your fingers around the door nob. With a gentle shove, the door creaked open._

_Genji's room was now kept clean, with you being in charge of it. No longer were there various stenches or sights. You were able to walk within the room with ease._

_Heading for the closet, you had already known it was waiting for you. Eito sent you the gift, but you simply refused to take it. Prompting him to keep it in Genji's room until you change your mind._

_Of course, you weren't expecting to. You thought it would rot in Genji's closet until the end of time, never seeing the light of day. But as of now, it only spent a few lonely days in there._

_You reached the closet, the space being much larger than necessary allowed you to walk in with ease. You took your time looking for the large box, spreading an open palm against Genji's various shirts and jackets. The fabric tingled your senses, the pads of your fingertips continued to brush until you reached the end of the closet._

_The gift box was fairly hard to miss, it being much larger than the rest of the items surrounding._

_You slid it out, the carpet allowing it to reach you with a smooth transition. A giant white bow adorned the top, along with a note tucked underneath._

 

_You'll totally look ~~hot~~  beautiful._

_-Genji_

 

_You snorted, the poorly scribbled note caused you to roll your eyes. Tossing it aside, you reached for one of the loose ends of the bow. With a light tug, the entirety of it came undone. You opened the box for the first time, your stomach now folding into knots as you proceeded._

_Once opening the lid completely, you were met with another crisp note:_

 

_I knew he would throw away my note, so I hid this one inside._

_Have fun, Dear. I'll save you a seat by my side._

_-Eito_

 

_You paused, taking a look around the closet in search of the mysterious note. But of course, it was no where to be seen. No use in spending what little time you have searching for a forgotten paper._

_You set the note aside, now fully appreciating the contents within._

_A wave of ebony was folded delicately inside the box, fitting perfectly inside the shape. The fabric held strings of lace, folding into various designs of gray. The black of the smooth silk shined with the overhead light, reflecting every single wedge or crevice._

_With gentle fingers, you lifted the cloth._

_The dress was as light as air, the silk feeling almost nonexistent within your grip. Genji's wardrobe seemed to be nothing to the memory of your palms._

_You were in awe as you held the dress up. Its elegant design weaved across the silk, it's journey leaving a beautiful impression. Upon standing, you find the length to be just barely graze the floor. As if your exact measurements were taken for such a work of art._

_But the sudden realization of the strapless shoulders left you uneasy. The neckline exposed more of your chest and collar than you would mind. The back being far too low for any comfortable evening._

_The dress would expose rivers of scars upon your skin, matching the lace in gauche imperfection._

_You stole your eyes from the dress, pulling them back into the box. Another note lay waiting to be read._

 

_Although I believe you do not need this, I know you_

_wouldn't wear the dress otherwise._

 

_The words assured you of another item. And although it was unsigned, Genji's terrible handwriting gave his identity away. You find another piece of the set lay awaiting retrieval. It bundled in the middle, a small mountain protruded from the matching fabric._

_Setting aside the dress, you pull a wide strip of fabric. The silk shawl shined just as brightly as the dress beside you, but offered a sense of relief. You wouldn't have to expose the unnecessary skin if you didn't want to. It was strange, Genji cared about your insecurities. Of course he knew about the unwanted markings, but you were never really vocal about your feelings. Perhaps it was simple observation that led him to such a conclusion._

_What was left in the box was a simple pair of black heels, the theme being very dark within this gift. Although the idea of wearing such shoes was discomforting, it did create a sense of class and formality._

_"Oh boy..." You rose from your spot on the floor, taking the dress with you. "I hate him."_

_You stripped down, preparing your mind and body for a shift in demeanor._

 

_It was much easier than you had thought to get yourself in the dress. A side zipper proved to be a blessing, especially since it disguised itself within the lace patterns._

_Taking a look in the mirror along Genji's wall, you find that even though you don't exactly look convincing enough to be of higher etiquette; it was still enough to make you feel like royalty._

_Your hair was released of it's earlier style, crinkles in the places where it was held back left it's mark. But it left a unique touch to your locks. There was no makeup to match that of the ladies outside, but you still felt beautiful. It was obvious you weren't going to be the best looking guest out there, but you sure were going to enjoy yourself the most._

_All the knots, the doubt, has left your stomach. Your throat was clear of any anxiety, you were able to take in the breath of relief this gift has provided. It would be fun, playing the part for a night. You appreciated Eito for this, to be given an opportunity even your true identity didn't hold._

_Your eyes landed on the marks across your chest for a moment, the uneven lines staring back tauntingly. You retrieved the shawl, covering the haunting tattoos of mystery._

_With a light stumble, you found the right pace and angle to take yourself to the door. Being a few inches taller now, the world seemed to be at an odd view. The halls were shrunken, your passing coworkers shorter. They offered their compliments as you pass, a smile ever growing on your features. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad._

_You reached the outside, barely. Your balance was left to a wobbling, even standing still was a challenge. But with one last gasping breath of air, you proceeded._

_People walked past you, as if you were another background character. A lesser status of their elitism. You took advantage of your newfound height, attempting to look over the few heads you could. Genji doesn't seem to be where you left him, unsurprisingly. You did take quite some time getting yourself together. But nonetheless, you craned your neck in effort._

_"A drink, ma'am?" A voice behind you spoke. With a startled turn, you find it was a coworker, a friend. "(Y/N)?" The boy pulled back in surprise, his eyes scanning the sight before him._

_"Nori! I thought you were working the kitchen tonight?" You asked as he examined, his mouth left agape._

_"I-I had to fill in. And I see now exactly who that was for..." Nori held onto the silver tray, balancing the glasses atop with ease._

_Your smile faded into something a little more awkward, "Sorry about that..." Your features attempted an upturn. As if asking for forgiveness._

_Nori shook his head, a smile now forming. "That's okay. Glad to see you took up Master Shimada's offer. You look lovely, (Y/N)." Nori began to twist in place, his body aligning for the opposite side of the courtyard. There was no time for small talk, especially from Shimada employees._

_"You knew?!" You tried to follow as he walked on, but your feet let you down._

_"Have fun, kiddo!"_

_Before your body would tumble completely, you ceased all attempts in the chase. Nori was lost to the crowd, you were left standing in solitude. Shoulders brushed past you, the sudden realization of being alone hit you. A sea of awkwardness swallowed you as you struggled to get out of the epicenter of the crowd. Whispers of "Excuse me" and "Sorry"' left your tongue all to many times, but you finally reached the bar in which you abandoned Genji by._

_You pulled against the fabric trailing you, the dress no longer feeling weightless as you searched. It seemed to be of annoyance, the boy who never left you alone could no longer be found. The only excuse for his absence you would take from him now is death._

_"Stupid Genji..."_

_You took a seat, awaiting for any sort of sign from the boy._

_"I agree, he is stupid to be missing out on such a sight." Another startle left you almost slipping from your stool, instead your hand slapped against the counter top to prevent any sort of fall._

_"Eito! I'm sorry!" You watched as the elder let out a throaty laugh, his rasp evident in his chuckling._

_"The only thing you should be sorry for is not showing off to the party right now." Eito reached out a gentle hand, lifting one of your own away from your body. He inspected how the black silk fit you, the way the light reflected on your curves. There was nothing but heartfelt admiration for you. The time you've spent with him and his sons really show now how close you are to the Shimada's. "Where's my idiot son?"_

_A chuckle escaped your lips, your shoulders relieving themselves of the previous weight of awkwardness._

_"I was wondering the same thing, sir."_

_Eito took a seat next to you. Men in black shifted accordingly around you two. It was not invasive, no. But your previous encounter with Ayumi's security left you hyper aware of their presence. They kept their distance, allowing the pair of you to speak in privacy._

_"Did you expect to end up here, (Y/N)?" The sudden question caught you off guard, there was no prompting for the conversation to take such a turn._

_"I'm sorry?"_

_"From what you've revealed, you lived on the streets previous to Kyo taking you in." Eito turned to you, something not quite of curiosity graced his aging features. "But here you are, a designer gown in an elite gathering. Did you expect such an outcome?"_

_You took a moment for yourself. The sudden smell of sewage ghosted their way into your nostrils. The memories of your younger self begging on the streets of New Mexico played behind your lids. Small, thin fingers reached out to every passerby. Credit chips would barely make a pile at the end of the day, only enough to buy that night's dinner. Your clothes were tattered, holes created in order to allow your growing frame to fit._

_Staring into the crowd in front of you, you questioned. These were the very same people you used to steal from. Breaking into their homes for what ever valuables you could find, what ever you could sell the next day. The flashiest of dresses, biggest of watches, whitest of pearls. Everything._

_"No."_

_You continued to watch the movement, the people interacting. The way their whitened teeth would widen, uncover themselves with each fraudulent smile. The men would boast about their companies, how profits reflected their genius investments. Each joined by a symphony of laughter, but not for too long. The cycle ever repeating with each new group forming and disintegrating._

_"Does it intimidate you?" Eito's inquisition has now turned into something more sympathetic. With a turn of your head, you find he simply awaits your answer. Reaction, even._

_"Yes."_

_Eito let out a breath, not expecting of such an answer. He took a quick look around, eyeing the individual members of his security. They didn't show any sign of acknowledgement, simply they stood in their respective places surrounding._

_"It doesn't have to."_

_Your features shifted, eyes widening and mouth agape. Although you knew he was fluent, you didn't expect the man to turn to English. Especially when he should have no knowledge of your understanding the language. A light smile appeared on his lips, smile lines faintly painted themselves on his aged skin. But you were still left too stunned to respond._

_Does he know?_

_"(Y/N)! My Dear! You are gorgeous!"  A familiar voice broke through, Eito tilted his head to look behind you. You twisted against the stool, now watching Ayumi's frail body make her way back to you. "This is where you ran off to, Eito?! I wasn't finished!" She gave you a quick squeeze against your arm, before turned her scrunched features against her son._

_"I know you weren't, Mother. That was the point of me running away." Eito's tongue returned to it's native language. You were left taken aback by his previous reveal to really pay attention to what was happening. Various threats and swings could be heard and seen, but the details flew by you in your dazed state._

_"(Y/N), I'm surprised you aren't with Genji._ _" Ayumi spoke up in front of you, grabbing your attention. You turned to face her, watching as she dusted off the clutch she used against Genji earlier._

_"I couldn't find him, I'm assuming you know where he is?" You put on a smile, bringing your mind back to reality. The various theories playing in your head will be for later._

_"Oh yes, he went to go bother his brother by the lounging area. It's on the western side of the courtyard." She pointed a frail finger in the general direction, a large jewel sat elegantly on her finger. The ring would be about one, maybe one and a half thousand credits. That is, if the metric stayed continuous to when you were young._

_And hidden under it, was the tiny, fading remnant of a dragon head tattooed into her skin. The body wrapped around the appendage, it's tail ending near her knuckle. It was a beautiful design, to say the least._

_"Make sure he takes a good look at you. I didn't pay half of his inheritance in a gown that will go unnoticed." Eito was rubbing his cheek, it seems not even the Shimada head was safe from Ayumi's strikes. Such strength in such a small woman._

_You looked down at the silk on your skin, "How much was this dress?!"_

_"Don't worry about it. Go on, have some fun."  Eito began to wave his hand in dismissal, shooing you towards the other side of the courtyard. Ayumi gave you a quick wave, a smile ever widening against her cheeks._

_All previous thoughts of Eito's sudden reveal has left your mind. You were on a set course now, and you would traverse it with a smile._

_You straightened out your dress and puffed out your chest. The confidence began to fill your veins, nervousness drowning in the adrenaline. Let loose, regrets are for tomorrow._

_With steady, careful steps, you weaved your way past exaggerated gowns and broad shoulders. Various perfumes and colognes forced their way into your nose, an unknowing scrunch made it's way to your features. Waiters and waitresses alike would compliment you on the way, some would even mention a few words about you accepting Eito's offer. You weren't aware it was such a public affair until you made your way through the crowd._

_You were glad to have gone through with this. However, you won't admit to being Genji's date. Despite his previous pestering. It would still be fun in each other's company either way, no need for a title. This whole event was exciting, the night was still young and you planned on making tomorrow's regrets as fun as possible._

_You deserve it, you told yourself. 20 years has led up to this night, so give it to yourself._

_More shoulders bumped into you, lamps from above began to shift to outline a path towards the lounging area. The crowd slowly dissipated with each "excuse me", and eventually a neatly combed black head of hair could be seen between the bodies in front of you. Inching yourself closer, you can see the various couches aligned around a snacking area._

_You stumbled a little more, tripped over your own toes. But eventually you fought through. Until now the only thing between you and the idiot in front of you was his back._

_"Genji?" You called out, once more straightening your dress and blindly fixing your hair._

_You paused your tripping, standing still and tall as Genji began to turn at the call of his name. Your mind mentally prepared itself, all the stupid responses he would give you._

_'You look hot!'_

_'Nice ass!'_

_'This was the surprise?'_

_Genji fumbled for a second, looking to his side first to find the voice. Before finally, his gray eyes managed to land themselves on you._

_His smile disappeared, his eyes devouring the very sight before him. You were worried, his expression was unreadable. He didn't have that signature smirk he always held, his right eyebrow wasn't raised as usual. He simply stood in silence._

_"My God..." His voice was a whisper, a mumble at most. His smile returned to its fullest extent. You let out a nervous chuckle in reply. His reaction was a little silly, even for him. "Absolutely beautiful."_

_Both of you stood at a distance from each other, but it was just enough for him to admire all of you. The way the ebony silk hugged your body, how it flowed into an elegant lace design by your feet. Your shawl did much more than just conceal the scars, it accentuated the little skin you let through. Genji's reaction brought a widening smile to your natural features. There was obviously other girls here much more put together, but here he was admiring you. His jaw was dropping, for you. You can see the regrets piling up in your mind, how you plan on making this a night you won't forget. And Genji is thinking the same thing, date or not._

_You took a careful step forward, Genji simply admired the view. Unknowing that your slow steps was to prevent any stumbling, but it looked good either way._

_One, two, three. Until a complete stop._

_Your smile faltered, your eyes landing on the figure approaching Genji from behind._

_"Genji! I found it! You were right, I just had to keep looking." A sapphire dress, tight and alluring. Genji reluctantly turned his attention from behind, the new voice grabbing his attention. "Here ya go!"_

_She handed him a small plate, red velvet cut into a perfect triangle. You watched the exchange unfold, unsure of what actions to take. She looked familiar, you thought. She was too obscured by his body to see for sure who it was._

_"I-I'm not hungry." Genji was stumbling over his own words, trying to force the plate back. You inched forward, curiosity now luring you forward._

_"Come on! It's one thing to make your date go out and get this by herself but it's another to refuse it." She whined, you pulled back. Your heart dropped straight into the crevice of your empty stomach._

_Genji took notice of the title and turned to you, "You're not my date, I was just talking to you because you were by yourself." Genji struggled between both you and the sapphire dress. Your features already forming that of disappointment._

_"Aww, that's cute. Keep denying it Shimada, but I became your date when we had out little 'endeavor' a few parties ago. Remember?" The girl's face was now in full view, recognition hitting you like a brick wall. She was the girl you caught in Genji's bed._

_"What? That doesn't make you my date!" Genji was taken aback, his eyebrows scrunched together with his declaration._

_You understood now, why he didn't wait for you by the bar. He had someone else for the night. It was foolish, you thought, to think he would reserve one night for you. A pretty dress and fancy shoes doesn't change the fact that you work for him. He was in a completely different class than you, it wouldn't make sense for him to prioritize you._

_"I-I think I'll let you two be..." You struggled to get out. You began to turn your body, but Genji took large strides towards you._

_"No, no. Listen, she's just being a nuisance. She's not my date." Genji attempted, but you kept on retreating._

_"That's no way to talk to your date!" The girl shouted from behind, a very few surrounding turned their heads towards the noise._

_"You're not my date! Dammit, you were a one night stand!" Genji retorted, his usually calm demeanor now completely lost to him. His statement, however, did nothing to ease the sinking feeling in your stomach._

_"(Y/N), c'mon-" Genji reached for your arm, but in a forceful wave you threw it away from him._

_The sudden action left you slapping the tray of one of the waiters. You snapped your attention forward, attempting to reach for the glasses. But instead throwing your arms into the empty air._

_A cold wave crashed against you, followed by the shattering of glass. The silver tray was the last to hit the ground, the noise was piercing as it slammed against broken glass. You stood in silence, the people around you watched as they held onto their breathes._

_"(Y/N)! I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching!" Nori grabbed the small towel draped over his shoulder, he attempted to wipe away at what ever he could on your body. But it was fruitless._

_"It's okay, it was my fault." Your voice choked. You placed your hands on his, preventing him from continuing to dab and wipe. The gift was drenched, half of an inheritance is ruined._

_"That's why you shouldn't play with the maids, Genji. They start to think your game is real." The girl spoke up, you were too embarrassed and uncomfortable to reply._

_"Can you shut up? Anyone could give you five seconds of attention and you stick to them like a leech."  Genji's voice spat venom. His steps approached behind you. "(Y/N)?"_

_You sucked in a breath, the stench of alcohol now stuck in your nose. But you raised your head and turned._

_"I'll see you in the morning for training." Your eyes burned, your voice was broken. But you spoke with as must confidence and professionalism you could gather._

_Taking quick steps, you turned back around to head towards the main building. You would have to pass multitudes of people, but it was the only way back to your room._

_"(Y-" Genji reached out, grabbing the shawl. You flung an arm out, slapping his hand away. Leaving the dirtied fabric in his hands. Whispers weaved through your ear drums, the ones in your head and the ones surrounding you._

_"My, those scars!"_

_"Poor girl, the Shimada boy must have pitied her."_

_'Stupid, nothing but a broken spy. You can't even do the job right.'_

_"Did the Shimada's do that to her? They are known to be brutal."_

_'Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. No one wants to see them, why did you wear the dress? Stupid.'_

_You began to take large, sloppy steps through the crowd. Nori calling out to you, Genji attempting to keep up with the chase. You were tripping, your ankles collapsing on themselves. Eventually, you gave up on the shoes and kicked them off completely. You can retrieve them during the clean up._

_Barefoot and drenched, you forced yourself between conversations and gatherings. The crowd eventually swallowed your form, leaving Genji stuck in a desperate search._

_It was a mistake, a regret. There was no good memories. 20 years led up to nothing, falsehood. This night just proved that you are only here for a job, nothing more. 'Don't get attached' Reyes would tell you before every assignment._

_Look at you now, free falling into an emotion you only ever felt with Jesse. But this was more, this wasn't as family. No, your feelings for Genji was more than family. It built up over the time you spent together, climbed up to the lips of the bottle. Every flirtatious moment, the light touches against each other. The way he would work hard for you, just so you can play with his hair. How he would ask you to read to him under the trees, and end up falling asleep together. It all collected, the small moments you let slip by. Until now, a single night finally left it to burst. But as you ran through the crowd, shoved past the various members. You realized that this is the fizzling dying down, and you missed the explosion._

_It wasn't real, you just fooled yourself._

_You managed to get yourself to the main building, now heading for housing. The halls were empty, passerby's were nonexistent, to your luck. But before you could even carry yourself forward, you gave yourself a moment to collect. You pressed against the wall, not really helping with the weight against your sore feet._

_You stared into the wooden floors, the heat from your eyes only threatened. But you forced your body to hold it in, he wasn't worth crying for. If anything, the tears could be for the poor dress on your body._

_It was nothing but silence, not even a sniffle as you held onto the wall. You wiped the back of your wrist against your eyes, but simply to clear the cloudiness. Until a sudden clank next to you broke the silence._

_"Put these on."_

_You looked up, your reddened face caught the gaze of Hanzo as he stood next to you. Looking down, you find a pair of men's dress shoes empty next to your bare feet._

_"Go on, put them on. You'll hurt your feet without shoes." He motioned once more, your gaze now falling against his black socks._

_"But then you'll hurt your feet." You croaked, pointing at his cotton socks._

_He simply shook his head, now reaching an arm towards you._

_"If you don't put them on, I'll just carry you around."  Hanzo gave you the lightest of smiles, his stoicism breaking to comfort your moment of weakness._

_You looked back down at the shoes, only to inspect your own feet. The leather was a gorgeous brown, polished to perfection. Not a single smudge nor speck of dirt could be found._

_"They're too big."  You looked up at him. He simply raised a brow. A gentle sigh escaping his lips._

_"So that's your decision."_

_He pulled a lock of hair behind his ear before bending his knees. He reached an arm behind your legs, pulling forward. A light noise escaped your lips as you fell backwards into his arms. Hanzo readjusted his arm on your back, forcing you to hold onto his shoulders. His hand brushed against the skin of your back, before settling on a single spot and holding firm. You know he could feel the ridges of your scars, but you didn't want to bring anymore attention to them._

_Hanzo took a moment to slip his feet back into his shoes, you simply held on in patience. He shifted and wobbled as each shoe slipped on, until finally he was all set to go._

_"Back to your room?" Hanzo's face was mere inches from yours, but he still took to courtesy and faced you._

_"Yeah. Thank you." There was no cowering away, you had to look back at him. He offered a quick nod before beginning the journey back._

_Had this been any other time, you would have seen this as a favor. He was simply taking care of a friend, nothing more. But after Kyo's conversation, the situation held a suspicious undertone to it. It was neither malice nor ill intent, but the reasons for helping you could possibly be built on more than just friendship._

_"You look stunning, by the way. Smell terrible but your looks make up for it." With a light punch, you hit his chest. He let out a chuckle, you simply dug your face into his shoulder as a form of hiding away._

_"You always smell bad..." You say, as his shoulder left an almost intoxicating residue in your nostrils._

_"Then stop smelling me." You held your breath, but the sudden shift in Hanzo's head towards you caused you to breath in his cologne one last time._

_Hanzo stopped, his body shifted towards a door with your name and three others on it. Since it was a busy night, your room should be empty of it's roommates. But he didn't open the door._

_"You can stay in one of the spare rooms tonight, I'm sure the girls will be questioning you relentlessly." Hanzo questioned, concern lacing each syllable._

_You've cleaned one of the guest rooms before, it was an absolute luxury. Foreign sheets against a king sized bed. The drapery was newly replaced, from what ever country this week. The bathrooms attached felt like something the Queen would use. Private showers and bathtubs, marble sinks. Lavender soap with cherry blossom lotion, these rooms were for the utmost of privileged. It seemed, you earned a little privilege for the night._

_"Just tonight, don't tell your dad!" Hanzo began to carry you away before you even finished your statement. "And I'll clean up afterwards!"  
_

_"I stopped listening a while ago."_

_Another smack, another chuckle._

_Hanzo carried you through the halls, every once in a while there would be someone to pass by. They simply bowed for Hanzo, and gave you a polite wave. But even so, the conversation went on without interruption. His company provided quite the distraction for you, even making you forget the putrid smell of warm alcohol against your skin. Despite your suspicions of his feelings, it seems he is here to only make you smile again. Something you greatly appreciated at the moment._

_Your feet dangled, the passing air tickling between your toes. You would sway them for a moment, but then remind yourself that it could off balance Hanzo. Come to think of it, he's been carrying you for quite some time now. Perhaps he wasn't all just show, there was actually power behind those arms._

_"Alright, I'll put you down for a second." Hanzo was stopped in front of quite the large door for one of the guest rooms. A silver handle was left between you and paradise._

_With ease, he set your feet down first. Once seeing you have made contact, he let go of the weight against your back. Gentle fingers traced for just a moment, as if hungry for a touch._

_Hanzo opened the door for you, allowing you to enter first. With a swipe of the holopad by the door, the lights shifted on._

_Various golden browns framed the theme of the room. Elegance in every single detail, the comforter atop the bed showing off the most intricate designs. The windows were as tall as the room, the moon and stars peering inside. City lights stood next to the wondrous nature of one of the estate's lawns._

_"I'm gonna sleep here?..." You asked yourself, the child within making an appearance. The street kid inside struggled to keep in the excitement, no longer did you have to steal from rooms like these._

_"I would at least shower before laying in those sheets. They are handmade Persian blankets." Hanzo warned, eyeing how you gravitated towards the bed. In a moment, you looked down at yourself. Once shining silk now stuck dull against your body. They reeked of various drinks and the sweet of your escape. It wasn't a pretty sight, nor did it smell like one._

_"Right. But I don't have spare clothes?" You looked up, Hanzo seemingly ahead of you._

_With a quick tap against the dresser's holopad, three drawers opened._

_"Extra clothes, but they are men's. I don't have access to the women's rooms. So you'll just have to sleep in baggy t-shirts and sweats." Hanzo leaned up against the dresser. Showing you the options it held. "Unless you'd like me to retrieve anything from your room?"_

_Taking quick steps, you reached the clothes in an instant._

_"No, this is beyond perfect." You smiled, the memory of sleeping in Jesse's old clothes played faintly in your mind._

_It seems every moment that went wrong tonight has faded away, the only thing you worried about was the Persian sheets you'd be sleeping in. Hanzo really cared for you, feelings or not. You appreciated him to the ends of this Earth._

_"Thank you, Hanzo. For everything." Your hands squeezed against one of the shirts as you looked up at him. He simply gave you a nod, acknowledging the the gratitude._

_The moment could have been frozen, stuck in an eternal loop of thank you's and nods. And you would be happy. This moment was as therapeutic as it could get, it seems now you have reached the maximum amount of emotions for one night._

_But your eternal loop was cut short._

_"Watch her while I'm gone."_

_You looked up. Hanzo's voice spoke, but his expression was blank._

_"Make sure she doesn't exert herself too much, I know she'll want to jump out of bed right away." Hanzo said the words, but once again. They weren't his._

_"Ah, I guess it's 'bout time I woke up." You grabbed at the zipper at your side and pulled. No longer reliving your memory, you simply did what ever to pass the time until your body awoke. "Even in a dream the smells are terrible."_

_You pulled the dress off. Hanzo's empty shell stared forward as the smell of alcohol shifted into that of disinfectant._

_"C'mon! Wake up!" You started pinching at your bare skin, your surroundings warped. "There we go..."_

_One more pinch-_

_-_ And your eyes fluttered open.

Everything was white, leaving your eyes to struggle to adjust. The blur and brightness finally faded into something comprehensible, the familiar design offered comfort.

You weren't in Russia anymore, you were home.

Overwatch symbols were plastered along the walls, Angela's usual set up offered a greater sense of comfort. You bobbled your head, taking in the surroundings. Until the lights of the outside sun pulled your attention, bringing your eyes to the window.

The familiar black ribbon was your first sight. The once comforting shawl now lived it's remainder witnessing the destruction of a warrior.

 

Such a beautiful silk wave of ebony, but with a tragic story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CLICHHEEEE ohmygod i love them, so honestly there is going to be a lot. And there has been, so I apologize if that doesn't exactly suit your fancy. But I hope you enjoyed either way!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OHMYGOD ITS ACTUALLY HAPPENING I ACTUALLY UPDATED HOLY JAZZ. Okay seriously im so sorry i havent updated in so long, thank you all for sticking with me!!!  
> I hope you all enjoy!!!
> 
> Also special thanks to the sweet angel Ari for proof reading and editing c:
> 
> (p.s. new blog!! read bottom notes for details!)

You let out slow, lung filling breaths. A thick comforter rose where your chest worked, the blanket delicately folded over your silhouette seemed to itch at the very slightest of touch. Your hands were compressed against the muscle of your thighs, itchy sheets cocooning them against your own body's heat. The aroma of bleach and a cheap replication of lilac filled your nostrils, the detergent used to clean the blankets left an impression in your mind . Only the heartbeat monitor and dripping IV's reached your eardrums , providing a steady hum of clicks and pops. You felt stiff, eyes struggling to open against the dryness of both corneas.

And despite the stimulation across all senses, the only thing you seem to care for was the sight in front of you.

A strip of black silk danced against the open window's breeze. Twirls and flicks were choreographed to an unheard tune, but provided a wondrous show either way. It was mesmerizing, entrancing you into a hypnosis with no other escape other than submission.

Or perhaps the sudden intrusion of the ribbon's wearer himself.

"You're awake."

The words went through your ears in a fog, syllables being heard, but meaning lost in translation. Your eyes were glued to the silk's elegant pirouettes, there were moments in which it would reach out to you. It attempted to charm you into coming closer, join it's improvised dance with every whip in your direction.

Just one touch, it asks of you, one dance.

But it was soon cut off. The ribbon was ripped from your field of vision and replaced with broad, metal shoulders. The body turned to face you completely, taking their leave from the window to settle by your side. Itchiness began to prickle your arms, cheap detergent laced with disinfectant clouded your nostrils. The warmth of your body didn't seem to reach the tips of your toes, numbing the digits into a rigid state.

"How long have I been asleep?" Your voice croaked against the sandpaper of your throat. It was as if individual grains replaced the smooth muscle of your esophagus, larynx only further irritating the dryness with each vibration.

"Just a day. Dr. Ziegler believes the rest was good for your body, though." Genji's filtered voice assured you, however the news didn't take too well anyways. 

You watched for just a moment further as he brought his visor towards your face. Your head was the only thing popping out of the irritating sheets, the rest of your body tucked gently under layers of warmth. The room's temperature was quite a few degrees cooler than you would be comfortable with, you felt the chilling prickles against the surface of your cheeks.

Bobbing your head towards your left, heartbeat monitors could be seen running across various graphs. Each peak signaled the same beep every time, a steady rhythm matching each breath. However, the scratching returned with each intake. Thirst now prioritizing itself in your mind, pushing aside all forms of curiosity against the monitor.

There was a nightstand set next to you. A tiny vase holding a single, blue bud of a windflower. The stubby petals were still in it's early stages, only cracking open enough for you to recognize the flora.

You managed to peel your eyes away from the flower and focus on the glass cup just next to it. It was half full, but just as appealing to your dry throat.

"She should be back any minute now." Genji spoke beside you. However, his comment was not enough to fully break you from your daze and your focus remained on retrieving the glass.

You wiggled a stiff arm out from under the blanket. A warm imprint of your hand turned cool against your thigh, the missing appendage now allowing the cold air to touch the muscle. You stretched out, reaching for the glass.

"Where did she go?" You spoke with discomfort. A bandaged hand stretched towards the glass, you noticed the dressing was new.

"I'm not sure. She just said to make sure you don't get out of bed." With that being said, the tips of your fingers grazed the smooth glass. But another hand grabbed it ahead of yours. Genji has made his way around the bed and taken the glass from you.

Your head followed the water, thirst craving the oasis in his hand. Genji reached his empty hand forward towards your head. It went past you, pressing against a side panel built into the bed. In a low hum, the bed began to fold forward in an excruciatingly slow pace.

Genji held onto the glass as your body began to sit upright. Your abdomen felt tight, the muscles seemingly sore as you sat up. The blanket wrapped tightly around you wrinkled and slipped under the new direction of gravity. Your neck and shoulders were exposed to the cold, but you were too focused on the glass held in front of you to care.

Once satisfied with your new positioning, Genji held out the glass, now allowing you to relieve the dryness.

Just a little too rushed, you reached both hands forward. The water shook inside, but it was still not enough to cause any spills. Your dry lips pressed against the rim, engulfing as much of the water you could pour. Genji sat back down at the end of the bed, watching little droplets spill at the corners of your mouth. In no time, the water was gone and you were still thirsty.

You wiped the excess water with the back of your wrist, your eyes finding their way back to the same green glare of Genji's visor. He reached out, taking the empty glass back from your hands. He simply held onto it, making no effort to remove himself from the foot of the bed.

Neither of you said anything, Genji simply kept staring. You weren't sure if it was necessarily uncomfortable or not. Awkward, yes. But unwanted? Not exactly the word you would use to describe the attention.

You brought your eyes back down to your lap, you picked at the clean bandage wrapped delicately around your knuckles. It seemed to reach further down this time, making sure to wrap around where you had initially ripped the IV right out of your hand. You should thank Angela later for changing them, you thought. Now that you recall, you never thanked Vasiliev for his work, at least before he sold you out.

The hospital, as shabby as it was, technically saved your life. If it weren't for the military base it was attached to, Zarya would have never found you.

But if she never found you, then you would have never seen Donovan there.

What has he become? It doesn't seem  _ right  _ to call him by that name. It's the same face, same voice, even the same eyes. But it's not the same  _ person.  _ As if a monster is wearing his skin, that would be the only explanation you could accept rather than believe that's really Donovan.

You wonder how Jesse feels about seeing him.

Bringing your head back up under the realization, you brought your attention back to the man in front of you.

"Genji, where's Je-"

A series of knocks on the door interrupted your question. But before either of you could grant permission, the door finds itself open.

A messy head of brown locks pokes through from behind the door, an all too welcoming sight of freckles smiled at you.

"(Y/N)! My God, Love. You gave me quite the scare!" In a quick flash of electric blue, Lena tackled the hospital bed with flailing arms and choked laughter. "I feared the worst when I got the news! I'm so glad you are okay!" 

Stretching a smile of your own, you wrapped your own arms around the squirming girl. Her legs dangled over the edge of the bed as she held onto you, her hands struggling to find a place to hold on.

"Lena, I told you not to blink in the room." Angela spoke beside the door, but her expression seemed to be much more lenient than her command. "And be careful with her, she's still recovering."

Despite your mental protests, your throat began to clench in an effort to hold back your own sobs. The reunion proving to be a little more emotional than you had anticipated.

"I'm still in one piece, Lena. Can't get rid of me than easily." Your hand reached up to her hair, running your fingers through her messy strands.

She let out a chuckle, "And here I thought I would finally inherit your wardrobe." 

Your cheek was pressed tightly against hers, hiccups could be felt against your own chest. Her sniffling was lost in your shoulder, her body shaking from how desperately she held onto you. Although not separated for long, the entirety of the situation must have been tough for her to hear. Especially since she was stuck back at base, she was never one to appreciate sitting out on missions.

With Lena slowly crawling more and more on top of you, your eyes met the doctor's from over Lena's shoulder.

"How is everyone doing?" You asked.

Angela took a few steps inside, giving Genji a quick nod before she answered.

"Everyone is fine, just shaken about the situation." Genji rose from his spot at the foot of the bed, unintentionally allowing Lena more room to settle on top of you. "We weren't expecting such an attack--let alone prepared for it."

Genji finally placed the empty glass down on a table in the corner of the room. However, he quickly returned his attention back to you and Lena once completing the task.

"If anything, we were all more worried about you." Angela finished with a quick "Watch her leg!" before giving Lena's foot a few swats. She mumbled sincere apologies before readjusting herself accordingly.

Angela settled in front of a few monitors, seemingly checking if all vitals are sound. Lena finally found a comfortable position tucked tightly into your side, her leg and arm draped over your body. You wrapped your own arm around her shoulders, keeping her pressed closely.

Genji remained by the foot of the bed, watching over all three of the room's occupants. 

"Well luckily for you, all you need is rest and time." Angela typed away at a hologram projected nearby, the fast swipes of various screens prevented you from reading any fully.

"And food." Genji finally spoke.

You looked up as Genji crossed his arms. His visor was fixed onto the jumbled mess of limbs on the bed.

"Would you like to eat now? You should be fine to sleep a little longer if you need to." Angela offered.

The last time you had a meal was before you were deployed for the mission three days ago. You were starving, to say the least. And the thought of various foods cooked up within the cafeteria, your stomach seemed to answer for you once more.

With a little embarrassment, you gave Angela a silent nod.

"Sounds good to me, I'm starving as well." Lena spoke.

"I'll bring some food for you-"

"Can I go out?" You asked eagerly, cutting Angela off too early. "I'd like to see everyone. O-Of course if that's okay with you!" You quickly retracted your more stern approach, realizing your interruption was a little rude.

With a light smile painted over her lips, she offered a nod.

"But-" She spun on her heels, reaching into the corner of the room. "-You have to take the chair." 

Unfolding a more old fashioned wheel chair, Angela brought it close to the bed for you to take a look at.

"That's okay, I just want some food." You inspected the chair, how archaic it seemed in such a state-of-the-art facility like this one. Large, worn out wheels sat on their respective sides. They sandwiched the peeling leather cushion in the middle. Handle bars from behind even held it's share of scrapings.

Seems Angela didn't find a reason to upgrade, perhaps the old chair didn't need one.

"There's a change of clothes in here somewhere..." Angela left the chair in it's spot to search within the various drawers and cabinets. Her hair would fling in front of her eyes as she leaned in for a better look. But no matter how many times she pushed it back, rogue strands would find their way back to her face. "Ah! These might be a little baggy, I hope you don't mind."

She began to swat Lena's body once more, earning groans from the girl. Lena lifted herself off of you, taking her warmth with her. Angela held out a standard issue Overwatch sweat shirt in front of you. Folded sweat pants were underneath, the fabric seemingly much more comfortable than the itchy blanket on top of you.

Carefully, Angela removed the various monitors and needles attached to you while Lena took a reluctant place by Genji's side, allowing Genji to rest a hand on her shoulder.

"Do you need help changing?" Angela asked with concern.

"I think I'll be okay, thank you." You looked back up at Lena, "You can go ahead and grab a plate if you want to. I'll meet you there." 

Letting a smile stretch wide, Lena quickly scrambled to your side. "I'll save you a seat!" She squeezed your hand before blinking her way down the halls of the medical wing.

"And here I thought she was happy to see me." You let out a chuckle, Angela joining you. Lena must have been dying for a meal if she left your side so quickly, especially after clinging onto you so tightly.

"Alright we'll leave you to it. I'll get you some slippers but feel free to shout if you need any assistance." Angela made her way to the door, widening the entrance for Genji to follow.

"I'll be right outside." Genji offered, to which you were thankful for. Even more so after your outburst in Russia. He didn't have to be so kind to you, and yet here he was.

Continuing to keep his promise.

 

The door closed behind him with a click, signalling you to begin changing. Peeling away the layers of blankets, the air around you prickles the skin of your arms and legs. The thin gown provided offers no warmth, only censorship.

There was no trouble removing the gown, the open back gave way once you peeled it off. The soreness across your abdomen was emphasized once you find the heavy bruising along your stomach. The tumble down the stairs seems to have impacted you more than you anticipated.

You managed to get the sweatshirt on easily, the long sleeves and wide waist engulfed your body. It quickly soaked up your heat, allowing you to warm up with ease.

Pushing aside the blankets even further, you were finally revealed to your damaged leg.

A relatively thin, yet sturdy material encased the appendage. The bulkiness of the cast Vasiliev provided was now gone, a much more practical cast kept your healing foot in place as it recovered. Judging by the slightly-less-purple tone skin at your open toes, it seems to be improving just fine.

_ Enhanced or a quirk? _

The question Vasiliev asked about your body seemed to invade more into your thoughts. You believed neither to be true, Overwatch never gave you abilities and, as far as you know, there is nothing different about how your body functions from everyone else.

Right?

You picked up the pair of sweatpants and swung your legs over the edge of the bed. Just a little too quickly, however, since you almost tossed yourself as well. Your body is still weak, unable to keep up with the motions you put your mind to.

Taking a deep breath, you leaned over to reach your feet into the legs. But the sudden sharp pain that followed caused you to pull away immediately, your abdomen's bruising is noticeably much worse than it looks.

_ One...Two...Three! _

Clenching your teeth, your tried once more to stretch your arms as far as they can to reach your foot. But the margin for you to stretch wasn't lenient.

You threw the sweats back onto the bed, raising your feet on top of them. With precise motions, you stuck the free leg in first. Digging the foot into the leg and then bringing the injured one afterwards. Laying all the way back, you were able to lift your legs just enough to let gravity pull the pants down far enough for your hands to reach; with the help of your squirming appendage.

What gravity couldn't solve, however, was the material getting caught in the form fitting cast of your foot. The material seemingly catching even the smallest of loose strings within the crevices between skin and cast.

The pants didn't make it to your hands.

You quit struggling with the cast and the pants, giving into defeat. Looking towards the door, your only hope to going to the cafeteria in pants was waiting patiently outside.

One last attempt at wiggling the material free only left the legs more tangled than to begin with. You reached for the discarded gown, using it to cover the underwear you were left in.

Sucking in an embarrassed breath, you let out a call.

"Gen..."

The quiet, poor attempt was more of a groan than an actual word.

"Genji."

You said clearer, but still quiet with regret.

"Genji!"

Finally, you were able to ring out clearly. The name rolling off your tongue with ease, perhaps out of desperation.

The handle turned quickly, but the door opened carefully.

"Are you alright?" Genji didn't come in, only speaking from behind the door.

You looked back at your lap, the gown covering most of your legs. The pants were left in a mess at your feet, still attached to your cast.

"I need help..." You went back to a more quiet tone, but without the door as a barrier it was easy to hear you.

Genji opened the door enough for him to squeeze through. And once seeing the predicament you got yourself into, he closed the door behind him.

"Are you... stuck?" He asked, his expression hidden behind a metal helm.

You couldn't bring yourself to look at him, only staring straight at your feet.

"I might be..." You mumbled with heat rising into every inch of your face.

Without another word, Genji reached the bed in quick strides. His hands quickly pulled away the material from your cast, a few strings ripping in the process.

He reached to grab one of your legs, but seemingly hesitated before doing so. You didn't realize he was looking at you until moments of pause, to which you looked up at him just enough to give him a nod of approval.

He guided your legs back over the bed, allowing them to dangle in the air. He kneeled down in front of you as he rolled up one of the legs. As he fit one foot into the leg, you eyed the vials implanted in his shoulders. You wondered if he ejected those voluntarily, or only when they over heated. You noticed before that they seem to steam every time they popped out.

It also left you wondering how far they went in. At what point did man meet machine, what parts of him was still human. You can see where the synthetic muscle lie, but not what's underneath his metal armor. The hand that was fitting the next foot in was clearly a prosthetic, but you couldn't pinpoint exactly where did his arm become human. If it did at all.

"Can you raise your legs for a moment?"

Genji suddenly cut into your train of thoughts, you find that both feet were in. But he was only able to reach your knees before being stopped by the bed. Without another moment to waste, you raised your legs carefully. You didn't want the gown to slip away, it was your only cover for now.

You felt his thumbs glide against the skin of your thighs, the material of the pants soon following in their trail. It gave you goosebumps, as little as they were.

But even so, he could only slide the pants up to where your bottom sat against the bed.

"I can do the rest." You cut in, before he attempted anything further.

"Can you stand?" He asked as he released the waistband of the sweat pants.

With a small scoot, you reached your healthy foot against the cool flooring of the room. Genji gave you space, but you noticed the light upturn of his hands in your direction just in case.

Your hands held onto the pants and the gown you used to cover yourself, and with a leap of faith you slid off the bed onto your leg.

You seemed to be doing fine, at least you thought so.

Your knee gave out in mere moments, causing you to topple forward. Luckily, Genji was already prepared for such an outcome. However, such a catch caused you to grab onto his shoulders. Which left the gown lying helplessly on the floor by your feet.

Quickly, you tugged the oversized sweater down to cover your underwear, but it couldn't go far enough to cover your thighs. Scars peered through once more, invading the already uncomfortable space you were trapped in.

Genji readjusted his arm around your waist as you gave up all your weight into his gasp. Your leg couldn't handle the pressure, so you were stuck clinging to Genji as you struggled to pull up the pants all the way. 

With haste, you attempted to pull one side up, but your other arm was still holding onto Genji. And almost as if he could read your mind, he reached his own hand to the other side of the waistband and pulled up with you.

"I've already seen them, (Y/N)." As if his words would comfort your embarrassment. "You don't need to hide them from me."

"Y-Yeah, right. I know that." You answered with a huff. He's seen them, you told yourself, he's seen them.

"I've also seen you in less than those," He seemingly referenced your once exposed underwear. "You don't have to be so embarrassed about it." Genji added as he settled you into the wheelchair. Your expression turning from red faced to disbelief.

"You really think now is the time?" You snorted. He's still in there, alright. "Unbelievable." You expressed as he fitted your feet atop the footrests of the chair.

And just for a moment, you could have  _ sworn _ you heard the faint beginnings of laughter.

 

Genji managed to take you outside the room without harm, Angela was seen scurrying down the hall in your direction.

"Oh good! All dressed!" Angela met up with you in front of your room, Genji kept quiet behind you. "I couldn't find slippers, but I found these instead!"

She held up a pair of fuzzy striped socks. And before you could agree to them or not, she was already knelt down and putting them over your feet.

Of course, the healthy foot fit just fine. But with a little struggle, Angela managed to slip the second one over your small cast. Without getting stuck, mind you. Your toes now were able to slowly gather their warmth under the soft fuzz of your socks.

"Does this mean I can eat now?" You asked jokingly as Angela rose back up to her feet.

"Of course, you can go ahead. Do you mind taking her Genji? I don't think she'll need me to babysit her during meals." She asked politely. "Of course I can bring her down and ask Lena-"

"It would be my pleasure, Doctor." Genji accepted before Angela continued to hold you back any longer.

He began to turn the chair towards the exit, you told Angela you would be back soon as he wheeled you along the empty halls of the medical wing.

The wheels creaked, the seat was uncomfortable. Yet all you could think about was the small interaction between you and Genji. He's grown, you notice, into a much more mature man than he was before you were separated. He took situations on a much more serious note. And although he would have his moments, it seems he would take much more mellow approaches. Much different than the younger man you fell in love with.

But of course, he was still an idiot.

"I can't believe you actually said something that stupid." You commented on your journey to the cafeteria.

 

"I can't believe you got stuck in a pair of pants." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so if you havent seen it already, I am shutting down the blog I had initially created for updates and other writings.  
> So go ahead and follow this one instead: @[imagine-recalls](https://imagine-recalls.tumblr.com/)


End file.
